Arthur's Moving Castle
by DarkmoonSigel
Summary: This is my APH crossover with Howl's Moving Castle. I own neither. A hat maker named Alfred who runs into the feared magician Arthur. Alfred is then cursed by the Witch of the Waste so he goes to seek out Arthur and his Moving Castle for help. Adventure and hilarity ensues. M for vulgar language and Russia/Ivan as the fire demon. Human names used. read at your own risk
1. Chapter 1

APH Arthur's Moving Castle

Two great and powerful kingdoms stood on the brink of an all encompassing war.

The crown prince, Gilbert Beilschmidt, had gone missing quite suddenly overnight and was presumed kidnapped. Ludwig, his younger brother, blamed the neighboring country of Britannia, the two nations having long been at odd with each other. Their tentative peace was shattered under the wheels of the great machine called war.

But this is not their story….

This tale lies elsewhere far, far away from all this political intrigue on the edges of the Waste in a small indeterminate town of Britannia. Though the town in of itself was nothing special, it was the last port in the storm before one entered the Waste, a dreadful place of continuous chilling winds and harsh rocky landscape that was constantly shrouded in mist and legend. It was where witches and wizards were rumored to roam free to work their wills upon unsuspecting travelers.

But we will get into that later..…

In a small, insignificant hat shop sat a young man finishing a ware of his craft. He idly stared out the window with sky blue eyes hidden behind thin silver frames. These stunning eyes was set in a bored yet handsome face framed by locks of short sunshine hair with a noticeable cowlick in front. This man and our hero of this bizarre tale was snapped out of his tedious revelry when his name was called.

"Alfred! Like move your sweet buns already and come on! We totally closed the shop! Quit being a wicked downer and come out with us!", Feliks demanded, Alfred's longtime friend and business partner. The pair's ensuing(and I'm sure riveting) conversation was interrupted though by the twittering of the shop's girls.

"Oh look! There's Arthur's castle!"

"Look!"

"How romantic!"

Alfred looked up to see….something…..move back into hiding in the swirling mists of the wasteland, a stunning view of gray nothingness from his window.

Alfred shrugged, turning back to his impatient friend. The shop girls were always going on about the subject of mysterious wizards that were apparently going to whisk them away at a moment's notice if they so much as blinked or ventured a toe out the door. "Naw. Go on without me. I'm going to go see Mattie.", he said. Alfred wasn't surprised when Feliks stomped his foot in response causing glitter to shed off of him in a puff of fabulous irritation.

"Lame! Like whatever! Totally your loss!", Feliks rolled his bright green eyes exasperatedly.

"Have fun storming the castle.", Alfred said, almost feeling sorry for some poor solider that was about to have a life changing experience. The cross dressing blonde was anything but subtle.

"You like know I always do!", Feliks laughed, snapping his freshly manicured fingers, "Mothers lock up your sons! Laters Sweetcheeks!"

Alfred could hear the girls still talking about the magician Arthur and how he stole pretty girl's hearts solely for the purpose of eating them. Alfred shook his head, smiling to himself about such silly gossip and how some of the girls would only be so lucky. Sighing, he finished the hat he hadn't really been working on and got up to leave for his own errand.

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The town was going mad today over its new slew of visiting soldiers, the latest batch of damned arrivals before they were shipped out to destinations and fates unknown. Usually Alfred would be up there with everyone else, cheering his own patriotic heart out but today he just grimaced at the amount of people that moved in and out of his way, the main street packed with well wishers and parade enthusiasts. The tall blonde sighed, plastering on a fake smile on his face and tried to stay as nice as he could as he gently shoved his way through the throng. It wasn't anyone else's fault that he was feeling directionless and miserable after all. As he ducked into the alleys to escape the press of the crowd, Alfred hoped that a visit with his brother would lighten his heavy mood.

Sticking to his shortcut, Alfred cut through back ways and alleys. Unfortunately, he had no real sense of direction when it came to such things and soon got lost. To make matters worse, while referring to a rather featureless map, Alfred bumped straight into some rather bored military men, knocking the smaller one completely over.

"Damn it, bastard! Watch where you are going!", the small soldier yelled, glaring daggers from his amber eyes as he got up to dust himself off.

"Oh sorry, dude.", Alfred laughed. It couldn't be helped. The other man was just so cute and animated in his anger. Apparently the other soldier thought so too, if his own lazy grin was any indication.

"What are you dumb dipshit smiling about?!", the angry soldier who was known as Romano to most and Lovi to one fumed, "Bad enough I'm stuck with one stupid bastard when another directionless butt munch has to run his pathetically lost ass into me!"

"Hey! I'm not lost!", Alfred pouted, not one to take his shortcomings pointed out lightly or well.

"He's pretty cute. Let's take him out for some coffee Lovi!", the other solider, who happened to be named Antonio, leered good-naturedly at Alfred.

"How old are you idiot!? This guy isn't some baby turtle you can just take home!", Romano raged, waving his gun around, "On top of it, this dumb bastard has the balls to run right into me and now you want to take him out for coffee! Chigi!"

"Eeesh. Simmer down dude. You'll give yourself an aneurism. I'm such trying to get by.", Alfred said, putting up his hands in an effort to calm the situation down before he got shot or raped.

"You see?! Your temper scares off all of the pretty boys!", Antonio groaned pathetically. He dug around in his pocket until a small green turtle was produced, the soldier sinking down to have a quiet conversation with it. It left Alfred to deal with the other pissed off soldier and a feeling of awkwardness that was growing worse by the minute.

"Cor, there you are sweetheart.", a smooth voice said from behind Alfred as a overly friendly arm slinked around his waist to pull him close.

"What the hell!? Is this really my day to get molested or what?", Alfred thought, stiffening under the touch as adventurous fingers fanned out to caress his side and hipbone.

"I was looking everywhere for you.", the stranger continued. Alfred looked over and a bit down at a smaller man, dressed in brightly colored clothing made of fine silk and decorated with jewels and other golden baubles. The most eye catching thing about him though was his dark green hair, the clover locks short and spiky. It matched his fathomless green eyes perfectly in its shading. If it were not for the arrogant smirk that graced the man's arched lips, Alfred might have freely admitted to himself that the stranger was actually rather handsome.

"Hey, we were already talking to him. Go find your own threesome.", Antonio told him, emitting unintelligible squawks from Romano on the subject matter.

"Really? Cause it looks like to me that you tossers are just leaving.", the man said in an amused tone as he did a quick gesture with his hand. The guards stiffened up unnaturally and started to march away from the pair, muttering loud complaints in their wake.

"Prats.", the green haired man chuckled darkly.

"I could have handled that myself, you know. They weren't bad guys.", Alfred told him, very aware that the stranger's arm was still around him.

"Ungrateful brat.", the man said raising a large, bushy eyebrow at him. "Consider yourself lucky that you are rather cute. I usually don't bother."

Alfred pouted in response, not knowing how to take the backhanded compliment, if it was one. He also tried to ignore the fact that the other man said that he was cute. The unfamiliar person was obviously trouble even if he was alluring.

"Where are you off to? I'll be your escort since it is obvious that you are quite lost, whelp.", the stranger teased, making Alfred blush despite himself.

"The ice cream shop and I'm not lost!", Alfred started to pull away from his uninvited consort only to be jerked forward by him instead, the slight man surprisingly strong.

"Don't be alarmed but I am being followed.", the stranger told him in a low voice.

"And you're dragging me into your bullshit, why?!", Alfred whispered furiously back, stunned by the news yet still a little curious. The odd man shrugged as they continued at a relatively normal pace down the narrow alleyway.

"Sorry love. Looks like you are involved now.", the man smiled sadly up at him. Alfred shivered as he heard strange noises coming from behind him. Before he had time to worry about them though, even more started to sound up ahead of the pair as black ooze began to pus out of the walls. It dribbled forward to vilely take on a humanoid shape, long stringy arms reaching toward them. In his fright, Alfred struggled to get away but was held in place by the other man's death grip around his waist and arm. The green haired man directed them down random twists and turns, the ooze men gaining on them as the pair finally broke out into a run.

"Hold on.", was the only warning Alfred got as they suddenly went airborne to float high above the spires and towers of the town.

"Straighten your legs, git, and quit acting like a divvy albatross.", the man snapped, stilling holding onto Alfred or at least trying to loosen Alfred's white knuckled grip upon him. The blonde wasn't too happy about them being up this high. Alfred complied though to the order, gingerly unfurling his long legs.

"That's right. Start walking.", the man encouraged. Alfred moved his feet, finding to his delight that they moved forward through the air as normally as they would walking on solid earth.

"That's not so hard now is it, love?", the stranger said a touch smugly. Alfred decided against sticking his tongue out at him. Instead, he enjoyed the sensation of being weightless and riding the wind one footstep at a time. Flying….floating…whatever they were doing…was turning out to be a really cool experience.

"This is awesome!", Alfred yelled out cheerfully, causing the other to wince from the sheer volume of it alone.

"You are a bloody natural.", the man grumbled. They landed on a balcony which Alfred was happy to see was quite near the ice cream shop where his twin worked.

"I'll drop you off here so just wait a tick before heading back out. There's a good lad.", the green haired stranger winked, before disappearing over the balcony. Alfred rushed forward to look down into the square below. The strange man was gone though.

"Well, that was weird.", Alfred snorted.  
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Alfred didn't see anymore of the oozy men so he went into the ice cream shop where he was bombarded with questions by the lookie loos and gossips. While magic was fairly commonplace, one did not take a stroll over their neighbors and fellow businessmen without a few questions being asked afterward. Alfred waved them off though as he slipped into the back of the shop to wait for his brother Matthew.

"AL!"

"Hi Mattie! What's up?", Alfred grinned at his rather distressed looking twin.

"Apparently you! Someone just told me they saw you flying with some strange green haired man!", Matthew glared back. Only Alfred would make light of this type of situation.

"Jeez, no one is going to let me live that down.", Alfred sighed.

"So now the idiot is accepting rides from anyone!", said a large dark skinned man with dreadlocks, interrupting the twins.

"Fuck off, Carlos!", Alfred snapped, lunging at the heavier set man.

"Just give us a moment, thanks!", Matthew said as he quickly separated the two to drag a flailing Alfred to the back.  
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Matthew stared off into space as Alfred finished recounting the details of his impromptu flight as the pair stood out back of the shop.

"He must have been a wizard.", Matthew said finally.

"Yeah, no shit Sherlock.", Alfred grumbled, "He was definitely weird, but nice enough…I guess.". It was silly for him to remember the experience so clearly of course. The odds of him seeing the mysterious green haired wizard were slim to none. It didn't stop him though from thinking about the hue of his eyes, the sensuous curve of his lips, or the heat from his hands where they had touched ever so briefly.

"Al, you are very lucky that he didn't do anything weird to you!", Matthew chided his twin, "He could have stolen your heart! Especially if it was the wizard Arthur. He would have eaten it."

"Arthur only does that to chicks, dude.", Alfred countered.

"You can never be too careful though. I've heard that the Witch of the Waste is back on the prowl.", Matthew warned, to find that he had lost his audience's attention in favor of some passing clouds, "Are you even listening to me?!"

"Huh?"

"AL!"

"Chill bro. I just stopped by to see if you were doing ok. Stop worrying about me already. I'm fine. Seriously.", Alfred smiled as he waved off his twin's concerned look.

Matthew was not so easily detoured though, sensing something was amiss. "Al, do you really want to spend the rest of your life in that hat shop?", Matthew pushed, still obviously worried. Alfred had seemed so alive when he was talking about his flight and the wizard. It had been the first real spark of energy Matthew had seen in his brother in a long time. Now that it was over, Alfred seemed to fade around the edges again, like now putting on a happy fake face for him.

"You know that the shop was important to Mom and Dad.", Alfred said, "I really don't mind…."

"I'm not asking what our parents would have wanted! I'm asking you what you want! Just give the damn thing to Felix if you want to go!", Matthew told him firmly. To his dismay, Alfred just smiled softly back, the expression never really reached his eyes.

"I've got to get back.", Alfred said, turning to leave. Matthew sighed, knowing that the conversation was over.

"It's your life Alfred. Do something with it. Be happy.", Matthew said sadly. Alfred's expression almost faltered upon hearing his twin's gentle words.

"Bye Mattie."

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The golden pair did not realize that they were being observed by sapphire blue eyes or that Alfred was being followed all the way back to his hat shop. Bulbous black ooze men slurped forward after him, carrying their master toward the unsuspecting blonde.

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Alfred locked the door behind him as he looked about the darkened shop. He mentally made 'to-do' lists for the next day and idly straightened out some displays in his absent minded passing. As Alfred lit a candle, the front door bell rang though, signaling the arrival of a customer. Alfred turned in surprise to see a tall blonde enter the shop.

The new arrival had a regal bearing that just screamed sophistication and money. He practically dripped fur, his flowing robes of red and blue the plushest Alfred had ever seen, though he still thought they looked quite garish. The man had wavy shoulder length blond hair, that looked silky even in the soft glow of the candlelight and dark cerulean eyes that looked down a long elegant nose at Alfred.

"I'm sorry but the shop is closed.", Alfred said flatly, not wanting to deal with customers of any sort. That was Feliks's department. "I could have sworn I locked that damn door."

The blonde didn't leave though, much to Alfred's annoyance. Instead he looked lazily around as if he had all the time in the world. He gazed scathingly at the product presented as if it if had offended him personally.

"What a tacky little shop.", the fur man sneered, his upper lip curling up in disgust, "I have never seen zuch tacky little hats." The blonde did not wait for a response though as he directed a haughty smirk at Alfred, his sapphire eyes looked him up and down, " You are by far ze tackiest thing here."

"Get the fuck out.", Alfred growled, throwing all concepts of customer service out the window. He was tired and this prick was seriously pissing him off. Alfred stomped forward to jerk the door open, thumbing the blond toward it, "Don't let it hit you where the dog should have bit you."

"Standing up to moi, Francis Bonnefoy, is quite foolish, I am thinking. Though you may know me better by my title.", Francis smirked, "Ze Witch of ze Waste."

Alfred gasped, barely having enough time to turn back around to face the dreaded witch who suddenly turned intangible. Like a bad wind, Francis blew through Alfred to shroud him in magic. Alfred crouched down protectively, praying all the while he would not be turned into something too terrible.

"Ze best part about zhat spell iz zhat you can not tell anyone about it.", Francis snickered as he strode out the door, "Give my love to Arthur, mon ami."  
-

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Alfred stayed low to the floor, frozen in place for the longest time, unsure of what to do. He knew something was wrong. He just didn't know what yet. His clothing didn't fit anymore as his shirt slipped off past his shoulders and his pants pooled around his legs. Besides that, everything thing looked different to him as well. When his glasses fell off of his nose, Alfred realized he didn't need them anymore as the room jumped back into focus.

His fears growing, Alfred shuffled on over to the floor length mirror, his feet wading in his shoes now. It made his movements stilted and awkward. "Oh shit, he made me a midget!", was Alfred's looping thought as he made himself look into the mirror, expecting the worse.

A little boy stared back at him, his sky blue eyes going wide at a familiar appearance Alfred had not seen in a long while.

"Crap! That's really me!", Alfred wailed in dismay, recognizing his four year old self, "Ok ok calm the fuck down Jones. It's not so bad…"

Alfred chanted this new mantra to himself as he climbed out of his shoes and walked around the shop in confused circles, trailed articles of clothing behind him. Unfortunately this started a cycle of him catching his reflection in the mirror every once in a while and freaking him out all over again.

"I've got to stay calm and figure this out!", Alfred told himself, trying to get a grip. His new squeaky voice wasn't doing him any favors in this matter though. A random thought struck him quite suddenly though causing Alfred to look down as he pulled up his overly large shirt up.

"DAMN IT! THAT BASTARD!", Alfred yelled, "Not the boys! No wonder I sound like this!". Alfred continued to mutter angrily to himself as he gathered up his useless clothing and shoes.

"Fuck this shit. I'm going to bed.", Alfred grumped as he shuffled awkwardly under the pile of clothes all the way back to his room over the shop.

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"Like check me out!", Feliks yelled as he burst into the shop the next morning, looking very similar to a slutty flamingo in drag that had been drowned in sequins and glitter for all its sins. Feliks frowned when he didn't see the blonde he was looking for to cover in hot pink sparkles, "Where in the hell is my boo bear!?"

"He hasn't come down yet.", one of the shop girls helpfully informed him.

"Lame. Well he is cray cray if he thinks I am about to let all this go to waste.", Feliks huffed, "I am like too fucking fabulous to not be noticed today!" He worked it up the stairs in six inch platform heels to Alfred's room, hammering on the door with the sharp fist of fashion. "Wake your lazy ass up and compliment me, damn it!", Feliks yelled, surprised to find that the door was locked.

"Dude, don't come in here.", Alfred yelled, muffling his now young voice with a pillow in a vain attempt to deepen it.

"Boobear, what the hell is wrong with you? It sounds like your balls haven't like dropped yet or something.", Feliks asked, pursing his glitter glossed lips together.

"Duh, I gotta cold. I don't want you to catch it.", Alfred gritted out through his clenched teeth, still bitter about his diminished vital regions.

"No worries there. You couldn't get me near you if you were like covered in Prada and diamonds. I so don't do colds.", Feliks said quickly, leaving while he still felt well, "Good luck with that! Laters!".

Alfred sighed in relief knowing his friend's weakness. His next step would have been to fake vomiting. If that didn't make Feliks run, nothing would. "This is all those damn wizard's fault.", Alfred sighed, looking down at his tiny hands. He didn't remembered them being that small. "I can't stay here like this. Feliks will dress me up like a damn girl once he sees me.". Very ugly visions of himself in frilly dresses and sequins made Alfred shiver. He had not wasted his night though.

Using the skills from his craft, Alfred had altered his shirt into a long white gown of sorts, even managing to keep the pockets in it. As he tied off the collar with a red ribbon as a finishing touch, the little boy nodded to his reflection. He could make this work. Shoes had been a problem though. After some thought, Alfred decided to forgo them altogether.

After some searching around, Alfred found a small enough bag for him to comfortable carry for some food and his glasses. He had discovered that strength was not an issue in the matter. For whatever reason, the curse had left him supernaturally strong, something his bed had unfortunately discovered as well as parts of the floor that now sported Alfred sized foot shaped holes in them.

Using his new height to his advantage, Alfred snuck out of the hat shop unnoticed.

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That same could not be said of the town though. It took some doing to get out of it. People kept stopping Alfred to ask him if he was lost or if he needed any help. It was quite irritating as Alfred explained for what felt like the hundredth time to a concerned citizen that no, he wasn't lost, yes, he was aware he wasn't wearing any shoes, and no, he didn't need to hold anyone's hand crossing the road.

Alfred was finally able to sneak onto the back of a cart leaving the town toward the waste, the little boy easily hiding out in the hay as he watched his lifelong home dwindle smaller and smaller into the distance. He jumped out as soon as the cart stopped at the furthest farm, ducking behind stone walls and brushes as he made his way out into the hills that bordered the wastelands and separated them from civilization .

Traveling was harder for the little boy than he previously could have realized or imagined. Everything seemed so much bigger now and further apart.

"I'm never going to get there with these legs.", Alfred grumbled as he trudged up a particularly difficult hill. Looking around for an easier path, the little one spied a long stick poking out of a nearby bush.

"Cool! That would make an awesome walking stick!", Alfred cheered, running over to it. He jumped up to grab the end of it and was left hanging midair. The stick was unusually tangled in the bush even with all of Alfred's small body hanging off of it.

"C'mon! Just a little bit more!", Alfred encouraged it as he bounced up and down, working with gravity. While strength was not the issue, leverage was the real problem and Alfred was starting to really despise his newly reduced height.

After a valiant effort though, Alfred worked it free…..or really just gave the stick a chance to do so itself. Alfred yelped as he let go of the end, the stick doing a fancy whirl as it repositioned itself in the air to reveal that it was actually a scarecrow of sorts. It was dressed rather regally in a military uniform for such a mundane job in pest control, the clothe of the garment dyed a peculiar shade of blue grey and adorned with a familiar silver and black cross. Alfred knew that he had seen it somewhere before and yet just couldn't seem to name or place it in his mind.

"Aw crap! You're just a scarecrow.", Alfred grumped up at it, the nagging concept bothering him as well as the loss of an awesome walking stick. He certainly didn't want one that fought back. The scarecrow seemed to do its version of a shrug. It's head was a pure white vegetable with red berries for eyes. A cigarette made of wood stuck out of its crooked grinning mouth at a jaunty angle. Alfred continued to make a face up at it though, totally unimpressed by it.

"Your head's a turnip. I hate turnips. Everyone says they taste better with butter but it's all lies to make you eat them. They still suck.", Alfred complained to the stick man, "Whatever. I got to get going.". Alfred went back up the hill, promptly forgetting all about the strange scarecrow.

The day inevitably grew later, bringing with its evening gown of dusk chill winds that swept up the hills in continuous streams. They were bitingly cold, cutting through the child's thin garment as he was buffeted by them mercilessl.

"It's so freaking cold. I'm freezing my nuts and berries off here….or what's left of them.", Alfred whimpered as he hunched down. His original plan was seeming more futile and stupid with every aching breeze. As far as he knew, witches and wizards were common out on the waste. Alfred summarized that there surely would be someone he could find to break his curse. He might even be able to find the Witch of the Waste out there and make him break it himself. Alfred wasn't sure how he was going to make Francis do that, but it was seeming less likely now with every passing cruel wind.

A 'tap tap tap' against stone alerted Alfred that he was not alone anymore, the little boy lifting his head warily.

"Aw c'mon dude, have a heart! I did you a solid and got you out of that bush!", Alfred moaned up at the scarecrow that loomed over him now, "I already got my own curse to deal with. I don't need your baggage."

The scarecrow bounced up and down as if in irritation and/or a vain attempt to argue with the shivering child.

"Don't take that tone with me. You're obviously cursed, dude.", Alfred told him, "Can't you do anything useful and find me a place to stay? I'm freezing my balls off here.". Alfred's teeth started to chatter as he watched the scarecrow bound off over the hill and was soon out of sight.

"Loser. Totally bought it.", Alfred snickered as he made himself get up once again to put as much distance as he could between himself and the deranged object of crow prevention. He focused on ignoring the wind and just getting over the last hill.

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Upon entering the Wastes, all light gave up the ghost as dark clouds rolled in to block even starlight. Snowflakes took their place instead, falling softly in their descent to dust the packed earth and the wandering little boy with snow.

Alfred' legs finally gave out, the child landing on his butt as he stared sadly up at the opaque sky. Though he was numb from the cold, it only took him a moment to realize that he was smelling smoke, his nose twitching from it.

"Something is burning.", Alfred said to himself, getting up once again in the hopes of finding something or someone near by.

Alfred followed his nose though he didn't have to for too long. The source came to him as a towering structure crested a hill, moving toward him. Bouncing right beside it was the scarecrow, like a hunting dog bringing home a prize catch to its master.

"You fucktard! That's Arthur's castle!", Alfred yelled, his eyes going wide as he stared up at the notorious castle he had only seen glimpses of in the past through the safety of his window, "That's not what I meant!"

Arthur's castle was huge, a construct of mismatched materials that looked slap dashed together with a tower here and a tower there, seemingly on the maker's whim alone. Someone at some point had taken a severe and dysfunctional liking to balconies, the sides of the castle ruffled with them. Windows were like sores across the structure's rotund iron belly, no two the same in shape or size. The whole mess was precariously balanced on spindly legs like a bucket of bolts on top of demented drunken spider, weaving its way over the rocky terrain.

It was quite possibly the ugliest thing that Alfred had ever seen in his entire life. It came to a brief stop or attempted to break down(Alfred wasn't sure which), the structure wobbly passing Alfred by. A low door, complete with stoop in the back of it like a broken tail, touched down and scraped earth as the castle attempted navigate downhill without toppling over.

"Is that the entrance?", Alfred asked the scarecrow to find that it was already going after it.

"Aw crap! Slow down!", Alfred called after it, racing toward the low portal. The castle might have been ugly as sin but smoke was pouring out of its many chimneys so that had to mean that it was warm somewhere inside…or on fire…..Alfred wasn't sure which to hope for but both involved heat so it was win, win to him in either case.

Alfred ran as fast as his little numb legs could carry him, finally breaking out a last ditch leap to catch the door handle. He swung it open with a cry of victory as he was hit in the face with a wall of delicious warm air. Alfred sighed in happiness at it, not caring anymore who's castle it was or how dangerous they were rumored to be.

"It's warm inside! Thank you for bringing me here!", Alfred yelled back at the scarecrow as the castle started to pick up speed, leaving the stick man behind, "I'm sure Arthur won't bother with a little kid like me so this is fine. You turned out to be pretty awesome despite being a turnip head! Later dude!"

After giving the scarecrow a final wave goodbye, Alfred closed the door behind him and took his first steps into Arthur's castle and the next part of his unexpected adventure.

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Climbing up crooked stairs into a dark room, Alfred entered a strange new world illuminated only by the glow of a dwindling fire. He looked around cautiously for he was in the belly of the beast. Anything could happen now.

A small flame flickered, making the light danced across the space, creating more shadows than clarity. Alfred ducked his head, trying not to tremble as he drew nearer to the little flame's welcomed heat. Taking a seat in front of it, Alfred watched the fire dance in the ash, dwindling further down. It was a strange color, almost a white purple in twisting shade.

Sighing, Alfred looked around to find some fire wood nearby, tossing several logs onto the fire. As the room was shed into more light, he saw that his surroundings were in total disarray.

"What a hole.", Alfred grumbled, "Crummy castle. Where is all the damn rich stuff?". Mess, mess, mess, everywhere he looked. Shelves on the verge of collapse, spiders running amuck in all the corners of the room to coat the crumbling plaster with dusty silk, and what Alfred presumed was a kitchen was buried under stacks and stacks of unwashed and half burned dishes and other assorted filth. The floor even felt grossly sticky underneath his bare feet.

"Blagh…", Alfred wrinkled up his nose, "Whatever.". He found the chair that he was sitting in was relatively clean enough as least. Curling up into it to get more comfortable, Alfred stared into the fire until he felt heavy with sleep and started to nod off.

"I do not envy you, comrade. That is a nasty curse, da."

Alfred's eyes snapped open to see a head, just a head sitting in the fireplace surrounded by the odd purple flame, smiling over at him, "You are going to have a very hard time getting rid of it.".

"Holy hell!", Alfred yelped, jumping up in the chair to grip the back.

"Let me guess….this curse….it will not let you talk about it, da?", the head asked.

"Dude! You talk!", Alfred yelled, pointing an accusing finger at the head.

"Of course, I am talking. Are you brain damaged….hit in the head….or just perhaps born stupid, da?", the head said pleasantly enough.

"Yeah, you're not creepy or nothing. What are you!? Are you Arthur?!", Alfred asked, returning to his seat. The thing didn't look like it was going anywhere anytime soon. The head made a face at the last question, glowing a bit more purple from it.

"Kol, kol, kol…..", the head muttered angrily, "Nyet, of course not. Don't be stupid. I am Ivan, a fire demon.". The demon did not get the reaction he was excepting or wanted though.

"A fire demon! Sweet! Dude, you can totally break my curse then!", Alfred fist pumped.

"Maybe…..maybe not.", Ivan yawned, a small flick of flame escaping from it, "Why should I bother?".

"Cause…I don't know why. You are just that cool and want to help me out of the kindness of your heart?", Alfred asked hopefully.

"You are very funny little man.", Ivan chuckled, shaking his head.

"What do you want?", Alfred sighed. There seemed to be no easy answers for him.

"You break my curse and then maybe I break yours.", Ivan grinned creepily.

"Whoa there, skippy. You're a demon.", Alfred pointed out, "How do I know you'll actually keep your end? And what is up with that 'maybe'?"

"Demons don't make promises.", Ivan snickered though Alfred didn't see what was so funny.

"Go to hell.", Alfred pouted as he crossed his short arms in a total huff.

"Don't be like that. Let us be comrades and you should vant to be helping me. I am poor little demon made to work day and night for that slave driver Arthur.", Ivan bitched, rattling off several other complaints. Alfred yawned getting sleepy again from the amount of warmth Ivan was pumping into the room due to his irritation. The demon noticed his audience was fading fast though, "We make deal, da? You break my curse and I, I vill break yours."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…..it's a deal. Shut up already. 'M tired." Alfred mumbled as he nodded off.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOO  
The cogs of the life machine that runs a world turned, moaning for fresh blood, sticky and wet to lubricate its worn gears. Two kingdoms prepared to spill plenty for it and a missing prince stayed lost.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOO

A/N-To anyone reading this or choosing to follow this story, this will NOT be shota. I don't write that genre and I certainly don't ship it. If you are hoping or expecting some of it later in the course of this story, I am letting you know now that it is not going to happen. I have real love and affection for both Hayao Miyazaki and Diana Wynne Jones, and I have no wish to besmirch such an elegant story(well anymore than I am doing right now).

This is very important. Though this is a love story of sorts, there will be no improper interaction between Arthur and Alfred over the course of this story while Alfred is in his child form. Any and all expressions of love will be done by and between consenting adults and even the most of that will only be a kiss at the most.

This is meant to be a light hearted romp involving two of my beloved most artists and their shared story with a Hetalia spin on it. Please do not read into anything deeper than that.

Thank you-DMS


	2. Chapter 2

A/N-To anyone reading this or choosing to follow this story, this will NOT be shota. I don't write that genre and I certainly don't ship it. If you are hoping or expecting some of it later in the course of this story, I am letting you know now that it is not going to happen. I have real love and affection for both Hayao Miyazaki and Diana Wynne Jones, and I have no wish to besmirch such an elegant story(well anymore than I am doing right now).

This is very important. Though this is a love story of sorts, there will be no improper interaction between Arthur and Alfred over the course of this story while Alfred is in his child form. Any and all expressions of love will be done by and between consenting adults and even the most of that will only be a kiss at the most.

This is meant to be a light hearted romp involving two of my beloved most artists and their shared story with a Hetalia spin on it. It is mostly a story of friendship, of personal discovery, and finding one's place in the world. Please do not read into anything deeper than that.

Thank you-DMS  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO

Alfred woke up with a start and a stiff neck at the sound of someone pounding at the door. He tried to ignore it but the knocker was quite insistent about being answered in a timely manner. The sound of running feet alerted Alfred to another's presence, the small child feigning sleep as a body flew by him or at least started to.

"Oi, who is this?!", said a young and surprised sounding voice.

"Britannia door!", Ivan reminded, smiling as he blatantly ignored the question.

"How'd he get in here?!", the curious adolescent demanded further. Feeling a glare upon him, Alfred cracked open an eye, confirming his suspicions. A preteen, no older than twelve at most, broke off his inquiry and ran toward the door again, the abuser of entryways still wondering if anyone was home. The older child had unruly blonde hair that spiked up at odd angles, very bushy eyebrows, and bright sea blue eyes which all disappeared in an instant under a cloak. He was replaced instead with the likeness of an old, shriveled man bent under the weight of time. Alfred couldn't help but feel a little impressed by the boy's smooth use of magic.

"Stand by.", the boy turned ancient called over his shoulder as he twisted a very peculiar handle connected to a color dial located over the door. Four colors were on the wheel in equal parts-black, green, red, and blue. The color wheel flipped from green to blue as the light outside changed with it from barely there luminosity to full blown day. The charlatan flung the door open to the flood of bright morning light and the sound of gulls.

"Mr. Mayor. Good day.", the disguised boy said in an confidant but obviously very fake voice. Evidently the cloak did nothing to hide the youthful quality of it.

"Good afternoon….sir.", the Mayor worked out, as his brain had a quick argument with itself on the matter, "Would the great wizard Kirkland be at home?".

"Afraid not. The Jer..*cough* ..my master is absent. I'm filling in today.", the faker said. The mayor made a face, one that said he was obviously settling. The man realize the value of not pissing off wizards though, even random ones, so he presented a grand and very official looking letter to the costumed child.

"An invitation from his majesty, the King.", the mayor informed him in a pompous way that would tell anyone that he was in politics, "The time for war is upon us! His majesty requires that every witch and wizard aid the homeland! Wizard Kirkland must report to the palace immediately. That is all!"

Alfred lost all interest in the conversation, his pit of a stomach letting him know that it was time to fill it, war or no war. He slid off of the chair yawning as he made his way over to the log pile, tossing a few on top of Ivan.

"I can't believe it's come to this. War is not the answer.", Alfred told the fire demon. Before Ivan had a chance to answer him however, the pair found themselves confronted.

"What do you think you are doing, brat!?", the little boy still his guise demanded, "How did he get in?!". The last question was obviously directed at Ivan though the boy's eyes never wavered from Alfred.

"Ivan said I could.", Alfred stated blandly with a shrug as he placed his hands on his little hips in a defiant stance. He wasn't about to be told off by some midget with a penchant for dress up.

"Nyet. I did not.", Ivan disagreed, "He just wandered in from the waste, da."  
Which was essentially true. Alfred still felt like blowing a raspberry at the fire demon though.

"From the waste! Are you daft, ya bloody demon!? He could be a wizard for all we know!", the old man turned adolescent again snapped.

Ivan gave him a hurt look back. "Stay calm, Peter. Do you really think so little of me, that I would let a wizard in here?", he frowned, his fire growing more purple than white in his annoyance. The door bell rang out for the second time that day, interrupting their growing argument. "Britannia door again!", Ivan spat out.

"Bloody hell, what now?! Damn customers!", Peter growled, putting back on his disguise, "Stand by!"

The door opened to reveal a little girl this time who peeked curiously around the boy and into the shop. Alfred waved at her cheerfully.

"M-my mum sent me by for a spell,", the girl stammered out as she waved back shyly.

"Whatever. Come in.", the cloaked boy glared, casting the look over his shoulder at Alfred. He made a point of passing by the shorter blonde. "Belt up!", Peter hissed at Alfred, "And don't be a bother!"

Alfred ignored them both entirely to pad over to the window, his full attention captured there as he looked out on it with undisguised wonder. He was no longer in the Waste. From his view, it looked like he was by the sea, a vast stretch of water visible in the distance, a town curving around its shoreline. Alfred was distracted from this though as someone started to tug on his sleeve.

"Excuse me but are you a wizard too?", the little girl asked confused. Alfred looked down at himself, still in his dressing gown which was now quite filthy from his journey through the Waste. His lack of footwear was all the more noticeable as well in the light of day, dirt caked up to his fair ankles and in-between his tiny toes.

"Yeah right. I'm the scariest wizard of them all!", Alfred laughed, holding up his grubby toes for inspections. The girl giggled back. The disguised boy was less than amused by all this as he prepared a simple potion.

"Here's your spell.", Peter grumbled out, glaring at Alfred as he shoved the remedy into the little girl's hands, and took her coin. "Fair thee well and all that!", he hurried her along out the door, slamming the portal close behind her.

"Quit mucking about! You'll give us a bad reputation!", the disguised boy seethed at Alfred.

"Dude, you're doing fine ruining that all on your own. You don't need my help. Haven't you ever heard of customer service?", Alfred snapped back, "Totally pot, kettle there too! You're the one wearing a disguise, faker!". He puffed out his cheeks in irritation at the other boy. The expression was mirrored back at him, though it looked especially silly on such an old face.

"I have too! I'm practicing my magic!", Peter retorted. The door bell sounded again, making both of the boys glared at it.

"Germania door!", Ivan called out.

"Stand by.", Peter sighed, opening the door as the color dial whirled over, this time from blue to red. The door opened to reveal an officer of the military and if Alfred was an accurate judge of such things, a very high ranking one at that from his full regalia. His chest practically gleamed from the amount of medals on it.

" Good day. Would this be the residence of the great wizard Pendragon?", the officer asked stiffly, raising an eyebrow at the short wizard.

"It is.", Peter said simply, adding 'tosser' mentally to the end of his sentence.

"I bear an invitation from the King. Please tell him all witches and wizards are to report for duty at the palace.", the officer sniffed, handing over a familiar looking letter though this one bore a entirely different seal upon it.

Losing interest in the stuffy man, Alfred moved past them to stare at the busy streets that lay behind, the small boy joining the pair out on the stoop to rubberneck. The scenery had changed completely again, this time to a much larger city full of towering building, tons of people walking about, and even motor cars that traversed neatly cobble stoned streets. They had cars back in Alfred's own small town, but they were few and far between and only taken out for special occasions. It seemed as if everyone had one for their own here, including the stiff backed official who climbed into a rather fancy vehicle complete with banners upon it. Alfred watched it depart with his jaw on the ground.

"This is the royal city of Germania, isn't it?!", Alfred gasped, finally recognizing the symbols on the crimson banners, the entwined double black eagles a dead giveaway. Britannia's own was the lion and the unicorn paired over the crown.

"Get your arse back in here before we leave it there!", Peter snapped, "And stop looking like some sort of sodding tourist.". Alfred did as he was told, stepping back in but his eyes were only for the color dial now. Throwing caution to the wind, he twisted it with the certain brand of glee one gets from touching things they really should not be. Alfred moved it from red to green and opened the door.

The Waste lay out before him in all of its harsh bleakness. He looked out into the bareness of it, the wind swirling the fog about in thick coils of white. Alfred shivered, the chill reaching for him. He slammed the door in the face of it and returned to the color dial, twisting it back to blue. Alfred opened the door to find the quiet seaside town again, simple and clean with its low, simple buildings and fresh salty air. Alfred giggled to himself, getting more excited as he returned to play with the color dial with a vengeance.

"Lay off it, ya divvy prat! It's not a toy, damn it!", Peter snapped, now fully out of his disguise to tower over Alfred in all of his twelve year old fury, "You're starting to piss me off!"

Alfred's enthusiasm could not be contained or diminished though. "This is a magic house!", he yelled back, throwing his hand up into the air to fully express this discovery.

Peter and Ivan stared back at him as if the young child was insane. "He just figured that out?", was the mutual thought running through their heads.

"Where does the black one lead?!", Alfred asked, totally oblivious to their perturbed stares.

"Cor, only the Jerk can use that one.", Peter rolled his eyes, "Forget you. I need some brekkie. I'm paggered already from all this shite.".

Alfred watched in open dismay as Peter navigated through the piles of mess, finally managing to extract some bread and cheese somehow from particularly precarious pile of random items. Morbidly curious(he was never one to turn away from disasters), Alfred went over to inspect the heap as well. He found(much to his surprise) a chaffing dish filled with loads of delicious looking bacon and some surprisingly fresh eggs.

"I want bacon and eggs.", ALfred said, pointing to them. Peter gave him a look back.

"Brilliant, but we can't use the fire. The prick, Ivan, only listens to the Jerk and even that can be messy.", Peter muttered, shoving aside some bulk of fallout on what had once been a table to make himself some room to eat.

"No worries, dude. I'm a awesome cook.", Alfred said, striking a heroic pose of breakfast making. Peter and Ivan both chose to ignore him. Retrieving his chair and lamenting his height, Alfred got a pan down off of the wall before shoving his makeshift stool across the floor again to a spot directly in front of Ivan.

"It doesn't matter if you can or not.", Peter sighed, watching the little boy figure out how to climb up into the chair with his newly acquired frying pan, "Are you daft or barking? I already told you, Ivan only listens to Arthur."

"Da. Peter is correct.", Ivan smirked, his flames dancing about merrily. Alfred studied him thoughtfully for a moment before slamming the cast iron skillet down easily over Ivan's head.

"Let's get cooking!", Alfred cheered, rather liking the noise he got from pan to cranium contact.

"Nyet."

"I don't speak gibberish."

"NO."

"And I don't speak Debbie Downer either. How's about a bucket of ice cold water to the face, sunshine?", Alfred said pleasantly as he leaned in closer to the irate fire, "Or I tell ole Artie about our deal? Can I get a 'da' from you now?"

"You will pay dearly for this.", Ivan glowered back at him from under the pan.

"Whatever, dude. Your choice-Cook or swim?", Alfred grinned. The pan grew still as Ivan simmered down to help accommodate it.

"There's my little team player.", Alfred cooed at the fire.

"Here's another curse-May all your bacon burn, da.", Ivan ground out in his fury, but stayed a constant temperature as Alfred started to put bacon into the pan. The meat sizzled up beautifully, perfuming the room with the tantalizing aromas of hot breakfast. Peter almost fell out of his chair when the odor hit him, the boy finally realizing what was happening.

"Ivan does what that little twit wants?", Peter gasped, staring wide eyed at the odd scene before him. A toddler who barely came up to his waist had just bullied one of the most powerful demons Peter knew and was now cooking breakfast over him as if it were the most normal thing in the world to do.

"I want some coffee! Where do you keep it, short stuff?!", Alfred called over his shoulder with a grin.

"I beg your bloody pardon but who are you calling short stuff?! You're smaller than I am!", Peter scowled, even as he moved forward to help, "Furthermore, we don't have anything as vile as coffee here. If you wait a tick though, I'm sure I can unearth a kettle for tea in a timely manner."

"Forget that noise!", Alfred raspberried in disgust. It was coffee or nothing in his mind. Any further argument over popular hot beverages was interrupted though when the color dial spun on its own, pointing to black.

As the windows darkened, the door was flung open with a force and a lone figure strode into the room. The portal closed on it own as the dial spun back to blue, natural light once again painting the room in pleasant colors. Alfred failed to notice it this time though, too involved with the wizard before him with his all too familiar dark green hair and eyes, dressed in fancy silk clothing in shades of spring.

"Hey Jerk, Germania and Britannia are both demanding you come to the castle to report as both Kirkland and Pendragon.", Peter informed the wizard known as Arthur who ignored his protégé to look curiously over at Alfred.

Alfred took sudden interest in the bacon, finding it absolutely fascinating in a vain attempt to avoid the other's attention and straightforward eye contact. He focused on conducting himself as normally as possible in the company of his midair consort, the green haired wizard. Of course out of the hundreds and hundreds of wizards in the world, he would have to be the great and terrible Arthur, famed for his love of stealing and eating hearts. With his sour luck, he would recognize Alfred at any moment.

As he heard the wizard draw nearer, Alfred tried not to hunch down in the chair, his grip on the frying pan tightening. This was going to be so embarrassing. Alfred wondered if he could use that though to make Arthur change him back.

"Ivan…You are being so cordial to our guest. I must say I am impressed.", Arthur said in a low surprised tone as his eyes studied the small dirty child before him.

"Not on purpose. He threatened me!", Ivan grumped back. Alfred smashed the pan down harder on his face as subtly as he possibly could.

"Not just anyone can do that.", Arthur mused more to himself than anyone in the room. He turned his full attention back to Alfred who was absorbed with the condition of the bacon and all its fascinating fatty nuances as he tried to avoid that clover gaze.

"And who might you be?", Arthur asked gently, brushing a stray lock of honey hair out of startled blue eyes. Alfred somehow not to jump out of his own skin as relief seeped into his core. The wizard did not recognize him. Alfred mused to himself that there was really no reason he should. Some lost hat maker he happened upon in an alleyway and spent less than as hour with…..that and Alfred was completely different now…

"You can just call me Alfred.", he made himself say overly cheerful, wearing a wide grin to match, "I'm your new cleaning person.".

Arthur raised a bushy eyebrow at that. The boy barely came up to his knee and was practically covered from head to toe in grime. "I find that hard to believe.", he said dryly.

"I just started today.", Alfred shrugged, poking at the bacon that was taking far too long to cook in his opinion.

"You look like your wearing most of it already.", Arthur pointed out.

"I really enjoy my work.", Alfred countered smoothly.

"Cheeky monkey.", Arthur chuckled, taking the pan from Alfred, "Give that to me, lad.". Alfred quickly shuffled back and off the chair, giving the wizard plenty of room. "Make yourself useful and pass me two more slices of bacon and six more eggs."

"Don't do it! It will all turn into ashy rubbish.", Peter groaned, watching in horror as his visions of breakfast were about to go up in flame…..literally.

"Belt up, twat! My cooking is just fine.", Arthur yelled at his charge. Arthur made a face at him as he held the pan out expectantly to Alfred. Not knowing any better and not really knowing what else to do, Alfred complied, watching in alarm as eggs were dropped and their shell were sent scattered to cook in with the rest.

"So who hired you? I don't remember putting up any adverts for your services.", Arthur asked, the wizard not seeming to care or notice if the eggs were imploding in the pan or that the bacon was starting to twist and curl in upon itself. The cheese and bread from earlier were starting to look like the only viable options left for breakfast now.

"Um…..I-Ivan did.", Alfred worked out with a stammer, "He's fed up with the mess so he hired me. Yup, that's it. That's what happened."

"Humph…", Arthur grumped, glaring down at Ivan, who if he had a hand would have face palmed with it over that obvious fib. The wizard appeared to let it go though. "Peter! Quit lolly gagging about and find some plates!". Alfred wasn't sure why he was bothering though. All of the food was horribly burnt to the pan. The only way it was coming out was with a chisel, some salt, and a good measure of patience.

Alfred joined the pair at the table, eyeing the charred remains of bacon and eggs. He was surprised when a fork and two spoons were shoved into his face.

"Which one do you want? All the rest are dirty.", Peter asked. Alfred couldn't bring himself to feel any sort of surprise at this. He glanced down at the charcoal on his plate, wondering if a bin would be considered an option instead, but seeing how he had already pissed off one powerful magic user already, he really couldn't afford to again. With a sigh of defeat(and upon noticing he was being watched intently by Arthur), Alfred chose a spoon.

"I've got so much to do.", Alfred groaned to himself, his gaze lingering over the massive piles of refuse. He was relieved to see Arthur dividing up the bread and cheese among them.

"Enjoy everyone.", Arthur said with a small flourish. Alfred made himself eat, but mostly because Arthur was watching him still.

"How is it?", Arthur asked, his question strangely quiet and tentative. Peter rolled his eyes but remained silent on the matter.

"It's…..um…unique.", Alfred compromised, taking the middle road of neutrality. The smile he got in return for the meager statement was practically blinding, the wizard's countenance softening in his grateful expression. It made the taste of burnt tires and the loss of taste buds seem worth it though somehow to Alfred though he wasn't sure why. He quickly looked down at his plate.

"So he can look….cute…", Alfred thought to himself, confusing the matter further. Peter seemed to be eating it as well though. "Poor kid. He's desperate or used to it. I don't know which is worse.", he mused silently.

"So what do you have hidden in your pocket, lad?", Arthur asked suddenly, breaking Alfred's train of thought. He blinked up at the wizard who appeared to be thoughtfully amused at the moment. Alfred stared at him, unsure of what to do or expect as his hand delved into his pockets. As far as he knew or could remember, he hadn't put anything in them. Much to Alfred's surprise though, he found something.

"What is this?", Alfred asked curiously, pulling out a red piece of paper in the shape of a heart.

"Oi, give it here.", Arthur said, reaching out for it. As soon as his fingers touched it though, the paper reacted violently, bursting into a spray of rose petals that burned into the table as soon as they landed upon its surface. An odd image emerged in the form of a naked man blowing a kiss.

"My eyes! My eyes!", Peter screamed, clutching his face, "Black magic!"

"Quite.", Arthur glared down at it.

"It's from the Witch of the Waste, isn't it?", Peter asked, recovering from his little bout of dramatics.

"Who else would send this sort of depraved kind of shite?", Arthur growled, "And now that damn lush had ruined my bloody table on top of everything else."

"Can you read it?", Peter asked, peering at it curiously. Once you got past the whole naked man thing, there was actually a fair amount of writing beneath him.

"Unfortunately.", Arthur sighed, "You who swallowed a falling star, oh heartless man, your heart will soon belong to me.".

"That sounds ominous and strangely like some important foreshadowing.", Peter pointed out, Alfred nodding sagely in agreement.

"Bollocks to that shite. Not likely if I have any say in it.", Arthur muttered, placing he hand over the scorch mark as he concentrated. Sparks flew from his skin as he dragged his palm across the graffiti, wiping it clean away.

"Wow. It's gone.", Peter's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the other's skill. He had been originally planning on just putting a vase or something over it.

"The mark is gone but the spell is still there.", Arthur said, his tone tired and drawn, "Excuse me, I have to go scrub my skin raw now.". The wizard departed the children's company, his hand out and away from his body at an awkward angle of disgust. "Ivan, move the castle sixty miles to the West and heat up my bath water while you are at it, you lazy sod.". Ivan shot a venomous look at the retreating wizard's back as he grumbled out curses and various complaints.

"You are not working for Francis are you?", Peter asked Alfred curiously. The younger boy's reaction was immediate and actually quite frightening, his sky blue eyes catching azure fire as he jumped up in his seat with his tiny fists balled up tight against his heaving sides.

"I would never work for that asshat! He's the one who….who….", Alfred started to say, only to find his throat closing in upon itself and his lips sealing together. He remembered the other part of his curse, unable to continue because of it. Alfred slammed his fists down on the table in his frustration, flipping the heavy piece of furniture entirely…..along with everything else on it. Peter looked back at him in surprise, his own plate safely in hand. Stray paper and dust floated down all around them like strange snow, the little boy's ire starting to cool off.

"If I ever get my hands on him, I'm gonna ring his gaudy neck!", Alfred vowed. He turned to glare at Peter who still clutched his plate to his chest, his eyes wide with surprise and just a touch of fear, "Finish your breakfast. I got work to do."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOO  
Still angry and full of adrenalin from it, Alfred attacked the hot mess of a castle with all the force of a miniature hurricane of cleaning. He used his abnormal strength to move huge pieces of furniture aside as easily as if they were made of feathers and not oak or mahogany. After seeing this, Peter wisely excused himself to go study elsewhere out of the way, or at least tried to anyway. He was caught and put to work with the task of separating the valuable from the crap as he set books and scrolls outside to air. Peter winced as something loud crashed, dust blowing out through the open door from it. It was accompanied with many colorful curses and threats to various parts of his and Arthur's anatomy.

Floors were scrubbed and mopped, carpets were taken out and beaten within an inch of their threaded life, and bins were filled, emptied, refilled, and emptied again.

All the while, Ivan whined from his pit for attention and some fuel. "Alfred….Alfred…..give me some wood. Be a good little flower and get it for me.", Ivan begged as his flame diminished, the purple white glow dwindling down to near nothingness. He perked up when Alfred approached though he turned wary when he saw that the boy was armed with tongs. Ivan's jaw clamped down on the remaining piece of wood to hang off of it as he was lifted out of the fire pit and placed to hang precariously over the mouth of an iron pot. The little boy eyed the mountain of ash that had accumulated, continuing to ignore the unintelligible complaints of the fire demon.

"Yeah, you're not creepy as shit or anything.", Alfred said dryly to the head in pot. Ivan glared angrily back at him even as he clung to the remnants of his lifeline.

"Chill with the looks, dude. I'm just cleaning out the ashes. I'll be done soon and you can go back to being all disturbing and scary.", Alfred told him. Ivan started to grumbled more about his lot in life when his fuel and support gave up the ghost, burning away completely.

"Kol kol kol."

Alfred turned back at the sound of the odd noise to see Arthur suddenly there, freshly washed and newly garbed, tossing some logs into the fireplace. He upturned the pot so that Ivan rolled out onto the new fuel.

"I'd appreciated if you were more careful in the future and not torment the fire demon.", Arthur told Alfred flatly, "He is miserable to deal with when he gets like this.". Though he wasn't yelling or even seemed angry, something about the wizard was cold and sharp.

"Kol kol kol."

Alfred shuffled back, unsure of what to do or say as the wizard strode past him toward the door.

"Hey jerk! Are you going out?", Peter asked, as Arthur flipped the color dial back to black.

"Peter make sure that the cleaning lad does not get too carried while I am gone.", Arthur threw over his shoulder before disappearing into a void as the world darkened the windows of all light again. As soon as the door shut in on itself, the dial flipped back to Britannia blue again and the day returned to normal.

"Alfred! What did you do!? The jerk practically ran out of here!", Peter asked the smaller boy in surprise who was still studying his dirty toes intently.

"He tortured me, da.", Ivan grumped from his fire pit though he had to admit it was a lot more roomy now without all the ashes in it, "If I die, Arthur die to, you fool."

"Aw, shut your yap! You're alright.", Alfred said quickly, though a spike of fear ran through him. He hadn't known. "Quit bothering me! I have a job to do and I aim to finish it.", he snapped, making his way to the stairs, armed to the teeth with cleaning supplies. If the upstairs was anything like the downstairs, he was in for a fight. Alfred found his path blocked by Peter though, a frantic look on his face.

"Wait! You can't come up here!", Peter attempted to order the smaller boy. Alfred raised an eyebrow up at him, undaunted by the obstruction but upstanding of the situation. He had been twelve once and knew what that entailed under the bed or mattress, or sequestered to corners of the closest buried under dirty socks.

"You better hide whatever you don't want me to found, you little pervert.", Alfred chuckled, giving the other boy a knowing look.

Peter flushed red before going pale. "How did you….Save my room for last then!", Peter yelled, running ahead to save his stash.

Alfred wasn't surprised to find the upstairs was actually worse than the downstairs if that were even possible. The walls of the hallways were literally covered with thick filth. What wasn't covered in gray smuck was secluded underneath layers of silk from spider webs, a flourishing populous breeding in all the corners.

"What a damn dump!", ALfred groaned, throwing down the tools of his new trade in frustration. He glared up at the spiders, who shrank back in their nests feeling the end of days upon them. Sighing, Alfred chose to open the first door he came upon.

It turned out to be a bathroom…or was one at some point in time. It looked more like a chemical testing site now, the floors, walls, and even the ceiling slashed haphazardly with all sort of colors and textures, some of which were still dripping. A mere glance in the direction of the toilet made Alfred cringe and the tub looked as if some sort of new life form was ready to crawl out of its murky depths.

Alfred debated with himself on whether he should just light a match and let the whole thing burn in upon itself. He talked himself down off the notion though. The risk of explosion was too high so Alfred compromised by kicked open a window instead to help clear the air. He found a fantastic view waiting for him.

Sticking his head out of the window, Alfred let fresh mountain air fill his lungs, the castle moving over the high peek of a sheer cliff, the view below it one that artists yearned and spent years searching for. A pristine valley lay itself out in full recline beneath them, dressed in dark green of forests and lighter shades of flowering fields. A river's sparkled jewel like length circled around it, sending light back to glitter anew.

"Ivan!", Alfred yelled, "Are you the one moving the castle!"

"DA!", Ivan called back, "Who else would it be!?"

"Dude! You are fucking awesome!", Alfred shouted, "I love your spark!"

Ivan's jaw dropped open in surprise, the comment stunning him into silence as the enthusiastic compliment worked its way in. "He likes my spark?", Ivan mumbled. When was the last time anyone had complimented him on his services? "I likes my spark!", he erupted in a wave of bright purple flame. The castle surged forward at an increased speed, making Alfred shrieked with glee into the rush of wind.

Unable to contain his excitement, Alfred ran through the shaking hallways, laughing in pure joy at the moment of it all. He was really in a magical house that moved all on its own, and had doors that took you anyway in the kingdoms, and even a wizard shrouded in mystery. Alfred went out onto the first balcony he could find to ride out the wind, loving how he was buffeted by it as he spread his arms out wide and pretended that he was flying. The world lay out before him endless and bright in shades of emerald, azure, and gold. He was actually here, now, at the heart of it all, in places he had only read about and made half hearted comments about visiting. It was more wonderful than he had ever dared to dream from behind the dull safety of his window at the hat shop.

"It's beautiful!", Alfred grinned up at the sky. It was so close to him. All he had to do was reach out and touch it.

"It's called Star Lake.", Peter told him as he joined the smaller boy out on the balcony, thinking he meant the huge lake that lay before them like an earthbound sea. He was quite used to the sight of it by now, almost dismissing it entirely as he studied the giddy child before him. His impressive brow furrowed though as he noticed something out of place near them, just past the balcony's edge. "Oi, what's that stick doing there? That's odd.", he said, moving over to investigate a very familiar looking piece of wood. Alfred could feel his shoulders slump, a bad feeling draining out his earlier excitement. He hoped that he was wrong.

With their combined efforts, the boys pulled the stick free. It reintroduced itself with a whirl in the air to bounce off the side of the castle and onto the balcony.

"It's a scarecrow?", Peter raised a bushy eyebrow at it.

"Yup. I've been calling him Turniphead. He's kinda a dumbass always getting stuck upside down but other than that he's pretty awesome.", Alfred explained. The scarecrow jumped away, to start bouncing up and down at them. The boys tilted their heads to the side in thought, unsure of what the object wanted from them.

"He seems to be following me.", Alfred mused, "I helped him out once and now he won't leave me alone."

"That's weird.", Peter snorted, "No good deed goes unpunished, I guess."

"I know, right?", Alfred shrugged. The little boy hopped up on the balcony's railing again to shout down, "Hey Ivan! Let's make a stop at that lake. We've got a ton of laundry."

"Da, da, da."

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The castle came to a shuddering halt before setting itself down gently beside the still, clear water of Star Lake. Peter was drafted to help out with the laundry as was Turniphead, the scarecrow used to hold up lengths of ropes so that the clothes could dry out quicker. After hanging what seemed like an endless amount of shirts, socks, underwear, and other articles of various clothing(including Alfred's dressing gown), the boys took to swimming in the lake until they were exhausted from it.

"I think he likes doing the laundry.", Peter said, giving the scarecrow a sideways look at the cursed being repositioned himself for the best wind coverage and maximum drying efficiency.

"Yeah. Looks like he'll have it dry in no time.", Alfred added. The boys sat in their underwear(which was drying itchy around them but what the hell, it had seemed like a good idea at the time)side by side on the edge of the lake with their toes still in the water, a tray of hot cocoa and chocolate biscuits between them.

"I bet he's some kind of demon." Peter said warily, blowing on his cup, "Ivan doesn't seem to mind him though. That can't be a good sign."

"You're right. He's probably a demon or cursed or something.", Alfred shrugged, nomming on a biscuit as he threw pebbles into the water. He wasn't really one to judge though. "But he led me here so he can't be all bad."

The boys sat in silence for while, Alfred eventually nodded off in Peter's lap. He found that his little body got tired more quickly than his adult one which he found odd. When he was awake, he seemed to have endless amounts of energy. He wondered if that somehow evened out the older one got between waking and sleeping. Alfred dozed until Peter touched his shoulder, shaking it lightly.

"Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey. We've still got to get all the laundry put away.", Peter said gently as Alfred stretched with a wide yawn and a shiver. He hoped his gown was dry by now. Picking up the tray, Peter offered the little one his free hand, the two walking back to the castle.

"Oh thank you. Forgot about that.", ALfred mumbled, still sleepy. "When you're this young, it really sucks sometimes. You get tired so quickly. It's kinda strange though when you think about it. I used to hate taking naps when I was little even though it's obvious that I need them.", he rambled on, more to himself than his company. Peter gave him a strange look in return, obviously confused by it.

"Never mind.", Alfred sighed, smiling sadly up at him, "Let's go back."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N-To anyone reading this or choosing to follow this story, this will NOT be shota. I don't write that genre and I certainly don't ship it. If you are hoping or expecting some of it later in the course of this story, I am letting you know now that it is not going to happen. I have real love and affection for both Hayao Miyazaki and Diana Wynne Jones, and I have no wish to besmirch such an elegant story(well anymore than I am doing right now).

This is very important. Though this is a love story of sorts, there will be no improper interaction between Arthur and Alfred over the course of this story while Alfred is in his child form. Any and all expressions of love will be done by and between consenting adults and even the most of that will only be a kiss at the most.

This is meant to be a light hearted romp involving two of my beloved most artists and their shared story with a Hetalia spin on it. It is mostly a story of friendship, of personal discovery, and of finding one's place in the world. Please do not read into anything deeper than that.

Thank you-DMS  
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The countryside looked alight with the tiny candles of entire towns up in flame from up there among clouds. Arthur watched as structures collapsed under the hot fangs of fire and mortar shell.

Arthur flew high overhead on light wings of pure white, the wizard a pale scar against cloud covered, starless night skies. He soared above the destruction to look down upon with jaded eyes. He had long ago shed his tears for this war and crying about it never changed anything anyway for anyone. It certainly didn't bring back the dead or fix the charred remains of the lives left behind.

Even higher above him were the air ships of Germania and Britannia, ugly wounds of iron and flame that marred the face of the sky. They collided with one another in small novas of light and explosion to rain down metal and ash on a land that was already burning.

He must have been sighted at some point. Arthur could see creatures starting to pour out of the floating monstrosities of mayhem and death. They caught the night winds to fly on leathery wings and wicked claws toward him. Arthur slitted his forest eyes, not pausing for a second in his reaction to this.

The wizard shot through them as if they were made of paper. What once had been men turned nightmare creature screamed as they were destroy or made too damage to fly any further.

This continued until they were all dead.  
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The color dial flipped to black, the door slowly opening to reveal Arthur covered in the black blood of the fallen, soot, and feathers. His wings were like lead on his back, the once white feathers gray and dingy where they were not sprayed with blood. The white clothe that made up his sole piece of clothing was just as soiled black with ash. His halo hung at a low, tilted angle from his head, his fingers slack around his star wand.

"Are you still alive, comrade? You smell awful.", Ivan asked, unfazed by the rough sight of his master. Arthur grunted his answer as he sat down, stretching out the sore muscles of his tired frame. With apparent effort on his part, his wings shrank back and his toga blurred away once again as his halo and wand faded away with them. The wizard was left wearing his fine gaudy clothing which he pulled tightly about his lean frame. He knew it was futile though. The chill of some things never quite went away no matter how many layers you put on.

"You should not keep flying around like that. Soon you won't be able to turn back into human.", Ivan warned, "Then you shall be useless to us both." He reached out his tongue to pull a fresh log over to himself, nomming on the wood. Arthur raised a bushy eyebrow at him in question.

"It is good, da? The little one put them there for me.", Ivan said, sounding oddly cheerful and his smile was actually sincere for once. Arthur appeared not to be listening to this small miracle though, his gaze lost in Ivan's soft, flickering purple light.

"This war is terrible. It's all in flames now.", Arthur whispered.

Ivan shook his head. "Gunpowder and mortar. I spit on them.", he snorted in disgust, "They are but amateurs. All flash and no real purpose."

"My own kind attacked me today.", Arthur told him wearily, running his long fingers through spiky hair to drag them down his face in a tired gesture.

"Who? The Witch of the Waste?", Ivan asked surprised. While duels were not unheard of between magic users, all out attacks on one another were rare. Wizards tended to nurse grudges, and had a natural love for subterfuge and years of intricate plotting. All out attack were considered, if anything, rude and uninteresting.

"No. Some divvy prats who turned themselves into monsters for the king's pleasure.", Arthur said in abhorrence to the weakness of his brethren.

"They will never be able to change back.", Ivan said, pointedly looking at Arthur who glared back at the fire demon.

"After this damn war, they won't ever remember they were human in the first place…if the gods are kind and the poor bastards are lucky enough.", Arthur snorted. All magic had its price. It differed from person to person and sometimes it was very steep. Your soul, your sanity, and even your own heart were common bargaining tools in the wizarding world.

"Aren't you supposed to report to the king? Two if I am not mistaken, da.", Ivan reminded his master.

"I'm knackered. Make me some hot water for my bath.", Arthur ordered, ignoring the question as he turned away. Arthur paused in his ascent up the stairs at the enclave that Alfred had made into his own sleeping space, separating it from the rest of the room with a curtain. After a moment of thought, Arthur pushed the divider aside. He looked down upon a sleeping man instead of a slumbering child.

Alfred's face was turned away from him, giving the wizard only a profile to work with but it was enough to see how lovely he was. His handsome visage was slack in sleep with his full lips parted slightly. Arthur recognized(and had since the moment he saw him) the hat maker, his lanky frame relaxed even in this cramped space, a blanket clinging to the more interesting parts of his bare anatomy. Arthur gathered from Alfred's choice of tiny bedding that he had no idea he reverted back to normal when he was asleep, the effect of the curse only working in his waking.

Arthur only stood there for a moment, drinking in the sight of the man who had plagued his thoughts since their very brief meeting. The wizard withdrew silently, letting the curtain fall back into place.

There was no place for these types of thoughts or these feelings. Alfred was cursed and for all his powers, there was nothing that Arthur could do about it. The Witch of the Waste was many things, most of them one could not say in polite company, but he was also a very talented and nefarious caster of spells.

Biting back unbidden thoughts in his head, Arthur went to find his bath and wash the sorrows from his skin.

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The bath shook the castle strangely like it always did. It woke Alfred up with a start to tumble head over heels out of his makeshift bed. The toddler woozily looked around the room as he located his dressing gown and underwear to slip them on.

"Is Arthur back?", Alfred yawned, padding over to Ivan. He tossed a few more logs by the fire demon, wondering what he was going to make for breakfast while Arthur was safety in the bathroom.

"Da. Who else do you think is wasting all the hot water I make again?", Ivan grumbled rhetorically. Alfred trudged upstairs to Peter's room, delivering a swift kick to a still sleeping behind.

"Mph?" was all Alfred got out of Peter who was quite used to such awakenings and general noise.

"Get up. We're going shopping. Arthur cremated all of the food.", Alfred told him, feeling very annoyed that someone(and not him) could sleep through all the racket.

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"I don't know why we are doing this. The Jerk hardly eats anything.", Peter complained as he pulled on his old man disguise, the pair going through the Britannia door. They walked down the uncrowned, quaint streets of the sleepy seaside town.

"Tough titties.", Alfred grumped, still bitter about the whole being woken up thing, "I have to eat even if he doesn't.". The little boy quickly got over his morning funk though in the bright light of a brand new day and the colorful sights of the bustling market. A sparkling sea lay just behind it, lending the scene its majestic grace, accented with the clipped cries of seagulls and constant surf.

"The ocean, the ocean!", Alfred sang, loudly and off key. "It's so beautiful!"

"It always looks like that you twit.", Peter snarked, rolling his eyes. He wondered what they looked like at the moment to the townspeople, a grumpy, old man and a bossy toddler. Grandfather and grandson perhaps?

Peter stroked his beard, trying to look worldly and wise. Alfred's energy was infectious though as he darted from stall to stall. Peter found himself have to drop the act of jaded elder just to keep up with the whirlwind that was Alfred. The child was a ball of cheerful chatter and a shameless gossip. He flirted and haggled with the vendors who either found it hilarious or charming to see such a young child lead in the conversation while his 'grandfather' panted from exhaustion and paid the bill.

"Potatoes, potatoes!", Alfred was singing again as he filled their basket.

"I hate potatoes.", Peter grunted. The basket was getting heavy with them though much to his dismay.

"Nobody cares. Pay the man, gramps.", Alfred said cheerfully as he easily picked up the potatoes laden burden with one hand. Peter managed to hold back a wince at the unnatural display of strength, giving the stunned vendor a placid smile.

"He likes his potatoes.", Peter said, paying the man quickly so that he could catch up. Alfred had only gotten as far as the next stall though, enamored with the idea of fresh fish.

"I hate fish.", Peter told him with a proper grump.

"Haters gonna hate.", Alfred said flippantly, no really listening or caring for that matter, "And we both know that is a lie. Where the hell do you think fish and chips comes from?"

The transaction and exchange was cut short though as the noisy, controlled chaos of the market took on a different and much darker tone. Vendors closed up shop as people ran down the street toward the harbor, news catching and spreading like wildfire.

One of Britannia's war ships was being towed into the shore, its curved reinforced hull riddled with gaping hole as pitch black smoke poured out of its many wounds. With safe harbor finally within reach, the sailor abroad that ship turned life raft dived like lemmings over the side into the water.

"Cor, look at that! Let's go get a better look!", Peter said excitedly, letting his youth show through his disguise.

"No. I've seen all I can take. Let's go home.", Alfred sighed, letting his own true age show through his as well. The ship no longer held any interest to him, Alfred's eye moving into the crowd for distraction instead. Something odd caught his attention, something horrible familiar.

An ooze man dressed ridiculously bad in a suit peered through the throngs of people obviously looking for something or someone. Alfred ducked down behind Peter, hiding his face in the boy's cloak as the ooze man turned their way.

"What is it? Does the ship scare you, poppet?", Peter asked teasingly.

"No you idiot. The Witch's henchmen are here.", Alfred snapped back softly, his voice muffled by the clothe, "Could you keep it down to a dull roar? They're right over there by the corner."

Alfred peeked around Peter cautiously as he pressed close to him, trying to maintain the illusion that he was a frightened child as he scanned the crowd again. He watched as the henchman wandered off out of sight behind a building.

"He's gone.", Alfred sighed in relief. He noted that no one else including Peter seemed to notice the strange being though. The witch's henchmen certainly didn't look human and should have elicited some sort of reaction.

"Another spell. Just my luck.", Alfred muttered bitterly. A loud sound over head made him look up in surprise from Peter's side, the whistle and fall of canon shell unmistakable. The mortor fell harmlessly in the harbor though, sending sprays of water misting over the screaming crowd. Alfred grabbed Peter's hand, jerking him forward and almost off of his feet as the pair ran from the harbor. Much to their relief, the air was filled with paper instead of bombshell and bullets. An airship high overhead broke its cloud cover to start shedding paper down on the town like strange snow. Alfred caught one to look at a picture of a strange man with silver hair, white skin, and scarlet eyes, dressed in a blue gray military uniform. It looked so familiar to him that it made Alfred's teeth ache and his tongue tingle in the effort to place it in his mind.

"A missing prince?", Alfred read out loud. He remembered vaguely hearing something about this from the girls at the hat shop.

"Enemy propaganda.", Peter corrected, plucking the poster out of Alfred's hands to crumple it up, tossing it over his shoulder. More explosions urged Alfred forward again, the boys running the remaining distance to the door. They fell through its frame gasping.

"Are you ok, chap?", Peter asked, a touch of worry in his voice. Now that they were safe, Alfred was still acting oddly pensive as the toddler wandered over to Ivan, laying his head against the warm stones of the hearth.

"I just need a glass of water.", Alfred said quietly. Peter patted his head as he passed by him to go get the drink for the little boy. Alfred sighed as he closed his eyes. Something was nagging him, trying to remind him of something he had seen. It bothered him. It felt important, very much so in fact.

A series of screams mixed in the various choice curses punctuated the air quite shrilly, making Peter pause in his task and breaking Alfred out of his considerations. Oddly enough, the cries sounded like they were coming from Arthur. It was confirmed as the wizard crested the stairs to stumbled down them, still making quite a fuss about something. He practically fell into the main room in his frantic pace with only a towel to cover himself. With some effort on the wizard's part, his words finally resolved themselves.

"ALFRED!"

The most notable difference in Arthur's appearance was not his lack of clothing. Alfred found his full attention focused on the wizard's hair. Instead of rich evergreen locks dyed flawlessly to match his malachite eyes, the short spiky tresses were now a shade of red, scarlet to be exact.

"Alfred, you git!" You've sabotaged me! Look what you have done to my hair!", Arthur roared, stomping up to the wide eyed tyke. He knelt down to shove his still moist locks into Alfred's face for closer inspection.

"What a pretty color.", was all Alfred could think of to say, unsure of what he was supposed to do the wet head of hair. Arthur reared back onto his heels to glare acid down on the toddler.

"It's hideous!", Arthur corrected, pulling at his hair as if that would make it change back, "You completely ruined my magic potions in the bathroom!"

"Oh, that's what those were?", Alfred said dryly, "Ruined? Dude, how could you even tell? That place was a wreck. All I did was perform an intervention with you and your bathroom products.". He remembered the hellhole that was now a bathroom again, but only after an exorcism and a butt load of bleach. It had been a foul place where cleanliness went to die a slow painful death. "It's called organization. Try it.", Alfred told him unrepentantly in the face of the wizard's despair.

"Wrong! Just bloody wrong! I specifically told you, no, ordered you not to get carried away! Now look at me!", Arthur wailed, flopping onto his back in an almost there tantrum.

"Seriously, what is your damage? It looks good.", Alfred said, trying to placate the other.

Peter did not nothing to alleviate the situation. "You look like Scot.", he snorted, looking down at Arthur was a nasty grin on his face. He wasn't even trying to contain his laughter as he studied the crimson follicles. The effect was immediate.

"NOOOOOOO!", Arthur howled. He got up to take a seat, slumping over the table dramatically, "Now I am repulsive…..I can't live like this…"

"Who's Scot?", Alfred ventured, keeping an eye on Arthur who started to weep openly.

"Our older brother.", Peter chuckled.

"Is he fugly or something?", Alfred asked. He had thought Peter and Arthur looked similar enough to be related somehow. Now that the wizard's hair was a more natural color, the resemblance was definitely stronger.

"No, worse. He's Scottish.", Peter snickered, amusing himself. He was met with a blank look from Alfred though.

"…"

"…"

"I don't get it.", Alfred conceded finally.

"Never you mind, pet. It's a British thing.", Peter shrugged. Still a bit miffed, Alfred turned his focus back to Arthur who had given up crying for a couple of bottles which he was downing like a pro. His hair was fading out in color the more he drank, the red leaching out of it to lighten right before Alfred's eyes. It finally settled on a pale golden yellow, the shade very similar to Peter's own.

"C'mon. Cheer up buckaroo. It's not so bad.", Alfred tried again, motioning to the new color. Arthur ignored him completely, continuing to cry on occasion and focused on get severely drunk.

"Bugger off. If I can't be beautiful, I don't want to be sober.", Arthur slurred out, shaking a now empty bottle of rum at Alfred.

"Drama queen much?", Alfred said flatly, unimpressed by the drunk man's plans. And here, he had thought Feliks was over the top with the dramatics.

"You have no idea. Just wait until he gets a few more bottles in.", Peter sighed, rolling his eyes in disgust as Arthur staggered out of his seat in search of more substances to abuse, "He got in a bad way like this the last time a boy dumped him.".

"Bad drunk?", Alfred winced as something fragile broke and other items were haphazardly tossed aside. He was beginning to have a sneaking suspicion of why the castle had been so damn dirty and who was the source of it all.

"Bad, messy, pissy, complete and utter shite-Really just take your pick, lad. They all fit.", Peter sniffed as he made himself comfortable in Alfred's enclave. The little boy joined him, climbing into his lap so that the two of them could comfortably watch Arthur drain bottles dry and talk to himself and the air around him, "See. He's off with the fairies again. Bloody useless, he is.",

"Yeah. This is going to be fun.", Alfred muttered. Arthur was starting to serenade Ivan and the fire demon was not enjoying it one bit if his flames of deep purple discontent were any given indication.

"It's not I assure you."

"I was being facetious."

Peter looked down at the toddler in his lap with a thoughtful look, sky blue eyes meeting his own ocean ones levelly and with far too much more behind them. "You know…..you don't talk like a little kid. Just how old are you any way?", he finally asked.

"As old as my tongue and a little bit older than my teeth.", Alfred answered calmly.

"What does that mean?", Peter frowned, his expressive brow furrowing.

"It means it's none of your damn business."

Peter shrugged after a held moment between them, deciding to leave it alone. He groaned when his attention was drawn back to Arthur who had decided he was far too good for the likes of his towel. Ivan was not appreciating that kind of show. The boys weren't either as Peter pulled the curtain between them and left the drunken wizard to his own naked devices.

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Arthur turned out to be a very bad drunk in fact, one of the worse Alfred had ever seen or experienced in fact. At one point, Arthur had summoned the spirits of darkness which had sent Alfred screaming out of the castle and into the Waste and pouring rain. He had only come back in after both Ivan and Peter assured him that they were gone.

Alfred almost wished they hadn't when he returned to find a horrendous mess. Arthur had tried to cook….something…..(they never did find out what it once was in its former life before dying a rather unfair and messy death) in his inebriated state and on a very annoyed fire demon.

The adventure in the culinary arts also left Arthur unconscious and covered in a funky green colored slime that coated his entire body. The viscous coating was everywhere in fact, even in the fire pit though it gave Ivan a wide berth, the fire demon 'kol kol kol'ing at it.

After fishing the head out of the gook and feeding the aggravated fire demon some more wood, Arthur and Peter attempted to carry Arthur back up to the bathroom. It was about as easy to do as carrying a greased pig and about as messy, the boys soon covered in the green sludge themselves. Thankfully it was mostly odorless, smelling only faintly of mint and parsley.

"Such drama.", Alfred grumbled. All he could think about was the mess he had to clean up now. He had just mopped all those damn floors.

"Do you think he's dead?", Peter ventured, scowling down at the filthy wizard who hadn't moved in quite some time.

"We're not that lucky.", Alfred shook his head, "But he'll wish he was tomorrow."

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A huddled mass of blankets leaned sloppily over the breakfast table. It shook occasionally and made moaning noises. Peter and Alfred took turns poking it to see a rude hand gesture emerge or a curse be produced every once in a while. Mostly it just sat there though and complained about the abuse, about dieing painfully, and made promises about never drinking again.

Alfred finally took pity on it, pushing a cup of tea within its reach. "Arthur, I made you some leaf juice. Want a sip?", he asked, pushing the cup closer to no effect, "I'll just leave it here for you then. Try to drink it before you keel over or something.". The toddler turned away to tend the fire, the sounds of slurping and a deep sigh of relief coming from behind him. The quivering heap eventually produced a pale, slightly green façade and bony hands clutching at the teacup like it was a life line. It was the perfect picture of why one should not drink in excess. Bottom line-it ain't pretty.

"Alfred…wait.", the drunk croaked out painfully.

"What? You want some milk?", Alfred frowned, turning back toward him. He was pretty sure he had made the detestable hot beverage right….not that he cared or anything or paid attention when Arthur had made his own before.

"The Witch of the Waste is trying to find my castle.", Arthur said heavily. He stopped when Alfred and Peter made similar rude noises of impatience. "What, you pair of twits!?"

"Yeah, no shit. Tell me something we don't know.", Alfred rolled his eyes.

"Bollocks to you both. This is important.", Arthur grumped, "A real moment of production, if you will full of plot hooks and character building."

"Humph. We saw his henchmen at the harbor and already put two and two together.", Peter shrugged dismissively, "A bit slow on the uptake this morning, aren't we."

"And you are just telling me this now?!", Arthur shouted and immediately regretted it as he clutched at his head in renewed pain.

"What's the big deal? We're all like incognito.", Alfred asked flippantly. It earned him a death glare from Arthur.

"To boil it down to basics, Arthur is a coward.", Peter chuckled, answering for the silent wizard and looking very pleased with himself about it, "All he does is hide from him."

"Aw bugger off.", Arthur groaned, attempting to rebury himself in the blankets but they had either slipped off to the side or were just being generally difficult as tired bedding is want to do in times like these.

"The Jerk uses his magic to keep everybody away.", Peter continued in a sing song voice, "How's that for a waste of life?".

Alfred studied the wizard openly, Arthur blushing now as he huddled under a blanket. His head was bowed, his blonde fringe hanging over tightly closed eyes. He was curled up in the chair, almost bodily around his teacup. His skin was very pale and his body shook occasionally with small shudders. Arthur certainly did not look like the villain of his legend, famed thief and connoisseur of young girl's heart. If anything he looked….

…..lonely. Lonely and scared.

"Arthur, why is Francis trying to hunt you down?", Alfred asked quietly. The wizard opened his eyes as if he were in pain but lifted his head to answer, meeting green to blue.

"He was once quite beautiful.", Arthur said slowly, "So I decided to pursue him….."

"And?", Alfred prompted. A part of him didn't want to hear this. It made him feel ill for some reason, his heart suddenly feeling very heavy and his stomach sour.

"…then I realized he was not.", Arthur answered simply, trailing off again.

"And as per usual, the Jerk ran away.", Peter finished for him with a sarcastic round of clapping. Alfred felt his own shoulders sag in disgust but also strangely enough, relief. He shoved that strange feeling back, unwilling to deal with it at the moment.

"Well, I can not run much longer. I have to report to the palace.", Arthur sighed heavily, looking defeated, "as Pendragon and Kirkland."

"How many names do you have? Is that even legal?", Alfred asked, worry creasing his young forehead.

"As many as I need. Don't question my methods.", Arthur grumbled. The three sat for a bit in dull silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Of course it was Alfred who was the first to break the comfort of the soft quiet, the other two starting to nod off from it.

"I know! Just refuse the king's invitation! Boo Yaw! Done!", Alfred yelled, striking a heroic pose of 'Fuck Yeah! I'm totally on this!'.

"Can't.", Arthur shot him down, pointing upward. Alfred looked up at the rafters to see a scroll laid open with the help of various daggers and pins driven into it.

"What is it? Help a bruther out. I'm like less than three feet tall here.", Alfred said, eyeing the tortured paper curiously. His eyesight was still 20/20 this young so he could se that the document was important, its shredded corner bearing a royal seal upon it.

"It says I must report to the palace whenever summoned. It was an oath I took when I entered the Royal Sorcery Academy.", Arthur informed him.

"Well…..shit."

"Indeed. I believes that sums it up quite accurately.", Arthur sighed as he dragged pale hands down his face in a tired gesture.

"DUDE!"

"For the love of all that is holy, keep your bloody voice down!", Arthur snapped, Alfred's sudden and overly loud tones striking a painful chord in the wizard's still fragile head, "What?!"

"You should totally go see the king and tell him that this was it stupid!", Alfred said excitedly only to be met with a worn look. Undaunted by it, the small boy continued, "You could go on strike and not take part in any of it!"

"You obviously have no concept of the situation or any grasp of how the world is like.", Arthur sighed, smiling sadly at Alfred's perplexed expression. "Kings do not especially like it when you tell them 'no', poppet. Not like as in 'drawn and quartered' not like."

"Oh…..", Alfred bit his bottom lip in thought, "B-but he's a king. He should hear what all of his subjects have to say….". Peter and Alfred jumped back as the blanket pile exploded in a surge of sudden activity, Arthur standing up to start pacing in wide, hurried strides.

"That's brilliant!", Arthur said excitedly.

"What?"

"You can go for me instead!", Arthur stopped pacing to grin down at Alfred. He was met with blank looks and raised eyebrows of questioning. "You! Go to the palace for me!", Arthur commanded, pointing directly at Alfred.

"Are you still drunk or just drink yourself stupid?", Alfred said flatly, his eyes going a bit cross-eyed staring at the finger in his face. Peter was vaguely wondering the same thing.

"I'm serious."

"Who?! Me!? Meet a king?!", the small child squawked in disbelief. Arthur triumphant grin was unwavering though.

"Yes you! You shall go to the palace and tell them that you are my cute baby brother!", Arthur decided. Alfred blinked in surprise. It was the second time that Arthur had called him cute. It left him feeling warm and fuzzy.

"Oi! You already have a baby brother, Jerk!", Peter yelled indignantly.

"Yes, but the key word here is 'cute'.", Arthur told him snidely as he picked Alfred up to shove the toddler into the preteen's face, "Could you say 'no' to this adorable face!?"

"So you're pimping me out?", Alfred grumbled. He was ignored by the brothers.

"I willing to bet that Master Honda can not.", Arthur said confidently.

"Please help me.", Alfred mouthed to Peter in desperation. The name Arthur had dropped though seemed to have an immediate and adverse effect on Peter. Alfred found his head being sympathetically pat by the preteen which is never a good sign in desperate situations like this.

"Sorry old boy. Better you than me and all that. Cheers." Peter said quickly, washing his hand of the whole thing as he left the room and Alfred to his fate.

"You bastard!", Alfred yelled after him, shaking a tiny fist at his retreating back.

"It's sheer brilliance! You tell them all I am just too much of a coward. Maybe then Master Honda will finally piss off.", Arthur crowed, doing a quick jig of victory. Alfred did not appreciated it in the slightest.

"Who the hell is Master Honda?"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOO  
Alfred looked far from cute as he accepted the summons from Arthur. Put out and grumpy would have been more accurate terms to describe the little boy in his current scowling state.

"Oh cheer up. I used my magic to make your gown all pretty.", Arthur chided him, the child's dressing gown now having fancy lace on its hems and booties on his feet. Alfred tried not to think about it and the blow to his masculinity. He reasoned it could have been a hell of a lot worse if Feliks had been involved. At least there wasn't any glitter. More lace and bows than he felt was necessary for any sort of garment but no 'get into every crevice' body shimmer.

"Take care of him Peter.", Alfred grumped, turning to leave. Peter snickered in response.

"Cute booties."

"Go to hell."

Alfred made it as far as the door before he was stopped by Arthur. He scowled at the wizard, not happy with the events that had led him to be dressed up as a baby doll. To his surprise, Alfred was met with an oddly mild look from emerald eyes. Arthur knelt down beside him, taking Alfred's hand gently to slide a ring onto his left index finger. It was a plain silver band with a pretty red stone set in its center. The jewelry sized itself magically to Alfred's much smaller fingers.

"This charm will guarantee your safe return.", Arthur said softly. Alfred looked back at him in surprise at the placid tone. "Do not worry. I will follow behind you in disguise.", the wizard continued, the strange look replaced with his normal callous self easily enough. "Now off you go, lad! Good luck!". Alfred rolled his eyes at him, stepping out in the bustling streets of Germania, the place as busy as he remembered it from last time. Alfred took a long, skeptical look at the ring and at the entire state of things at hand.

"Why do I feel like this is not going to work?".


	4. Chapter 4

A/N-To anyone reading this or choosing to follow this story, this will NOT be shota. I don't write that genre and I certainly don't ship it. If you are hoping or expecting some of it later in the course of this story, I am letting you know now that it is not going to happen. I have real love and affection for both Hayao Miyazaki and Diana Wynne Jones, and I have no wish to besmirch such an elegant story(well anymore than I am doing right now).

This is very important. Though this is a love story of sorts, there will be no improper interaction between Arthur and Alfred over the course of this story while Alfred is in his child form. Any and all expressions of love will be done by and between consenting adults and even the most of that will only be a kiss at the most.

This is meant to be a light hearted romp involving two of my beloved most artists and their shared story with a Hetalia spin on it. It is mostly a story of friendship, of personal discovery, and of finding one's place in the world. Please do not read into anything deeper than that.

Thank you-DMS

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO

In the great capital city of Germania, a small child walked down its busy streets toward its castle to seek an audience with its king, a thick royal summons clutched tightly in a pudgy little hand. One would find this odd in of itself but the toddler was also unaccompanied yet seemingly unbothered by this state unlike most children would have been at that tender age. If fact he seemed irritable to any passersby who offered assistance, a forced smile on his angelic face and a world weary look in his sky blue eyes that were far too old for such a young visage. This viewer of life's absurdities would have been further surprised to find out what was going on in this cursed being's mind, this pretender of youth.

His hand still felt so warm from where Arthur had held it briefly.

Alfred shook his head to clear it, stomping thoughts like that down. They were useless after all. He was stuck in this juvenile body until the Witch of the Waste's curse was broken. Alfred didn't even know the full extent of his curse, if he was doomed to remain a four year old forever or if he would have to grown up again. He certainly wasn't looking forward to experiencing puberty another time round.

Even if it wasn't and he did have to grown up, Alfred doubted that someone like Arthur would be willing to wait around for him to mature and even when he did, Arthur would be an old man by then. What real chance did they have?

Speaking of which, what real chance did they have now?

Alfred groaned, stopping at a convenient lamppost to thunk his forehead repeatedly against it and draw odd looks from passing Germania's citizens. Alfred didn't care, too busy thinking himself an idiot. Arthur was a great wizard(a terrible drunk, apparently useless fool in relationships, a horrendous cook, but still a great wizard). On the other hand, Alfred was at his very best a fairly skilled hat maker and not much else. Even if he did manage to break his curse, what were the odds that Arthur would even fancy him still if at all?

Only managing to make himself rather depressed, Alfred continued his way to the castle with his heavy thoughts and a heavier heart. He tried to distract himself with the sights of the city itself. The capital was a bustling epicenter of new architecture and modern technology. The latest in steam powered cars were a common site here and one that Alfred approved of. Vehicles had been a rarity in his own little home town, something only brought out for special occasions and funerals really. Here, it seemed everyone and their brother had one though.

Cars were not the only means of transportation it seemed Alfred observed as he walked past a lovely park filled with people in their finest. Soldiers took civilians up in their air skimmers. Air skimmers were basically platforms with wings and a seat attached to it. It had a basic steering wheel connected to a powerful turbine that made it airborne. They were generally used in close air combat with a Gatling gun placed behind the seat, the gunner needing to stand to brace himself properly in firing the weapon. The air skimmers were extremely fast, agile, and very nasty with the right pilot and gunner. Alfred personally thought it looked ridiculous as he watched the flirting ladies of leisure go up in them for a ride, their voluminous skirts about flipping over their overly wafted heads from the powerful back draft.

Thoughts turned inward again as Alfred became used to the flow of noisy life moving around and above him. His treacherous mind left to its own devices went back to dwell upon Arthur. Alfred tried to distract himself somewhat from the core of his problem by attempting to guess what Arthur was disguised as, the wizard promising to follow him on this little mission. The streets were full of activity so Alfred had plenty of options to chose from.

"Can't be a pigeon…..", Alfred reasoned as he stared an avian infested statue. Arthur hated the birds he called 'flying rats' for some reason. A noisy drunk was hurried tossed out of a nearby bar by way of air, the man landing with a loud curse before passing out in the streets.

"That could be him.", Alfred muttered, feeling less than charitable. He kept this running commentary up with himself until he reached the inner walls of the city, just outside the palace.

"Look how far I still have to go.", Alfred groaned, stopping to rub his feet. He really hoped that Arthur didn't want these booties back. Cities, even well maintained ones such as this one, were dirty and the bottoms of his footwear had stopped being white a long time ago. To Alfred's surprise though, the clothe cleaned itself right before his eyes, the lace enriched footwear snowy white again in seconds. As Alfred marveled at his clothing and debated whether or not to test it out further, the little boy found himself with some unexpected company.

To his right, a large white cat with a dark ruff around it neck and some marking under its too blue eyes sat purring up at him. It had a long fluffy tail and was not shy about rubbing up against Alfred's side for pets.

To his left was a smaller feline in shades of cream and peach, its patches of darker color on its tail and over one ear. Its ears were folded over, giving the cat a bobbed look and a heavy impression of eyebrows. It also had familiar forest eyes, the burning emeralds meeting Alfred's own unflinchingly.

"Ok….weird.", Alfred told them, resuming his journey but only after he pet the larger cat who practically fell over himself begging for some sort of attention. After a while though, Alfred noticed that the cats were following him, one on either side like they were guarding or escorting him. Alfred looked carefully around to make sure no one was paying him any special attention.

"Arthur?", Alfred whispered out of the corner of his mouth, "You disguised yourself as a cat?". The peaches and cream cat paused to meow at him, giving the little boy a sharp look. Alfred took that for confirmation.

"Why did you bring Peter with you?", Alfred asked, nodding over to the other cat, "And why the hell did you make him so big?". The green eyed cat glared up at him haughtily. Alfred rolled his eyes, confidant now that it was definitely Arthur.

"Whatever, dude. Don't get mad at me cause you screwed up another spell.", Alfred sighed, "You couldn't have changed yourself into something more useful, like maybe a horse or something? Do you know hard this is at my height? I mean seriously, a goat could run me over and then where would you be? That's right, having to go answer your own damn summons…."  
The pretend child found his rant was cut short though by a horribly familiar voice.

"Look who it iz. The tacky little boy from the hat shop."

"Oh butt nuggets.", Alfred swore, turning around to see the Witch of the Waste himself being chaffered in a portable pavilion on the backs of his ooze men. Shaded by near opaque curtains of rich scarlet, Francis leaned back on silken cushions, sipping wine as he smirked down at the toddler.

"Merci beaucoup for delivering my scorching love note to Arthur.", Francis smugly purred. Alfred ignored him though, his walk turning into a determined march. "How iz he doing by ze way?", Francis asked, keeping his tone careless and uninterested. He was not one to be ignored.

"Acting like a big baby and working my butt off as his cleaning crew.", Alfred replied stiffly when it was evident the Witch was not going to leave him alone. Francis chuckled in reply, helping himself to more wine.

"Zo tell me, what business do you have here at ze palace? Zomething mundane I am sure.", Francis sniffed as he studied his nails with a bored eye. Alfred watched him, nodding in agreement slowly just to play along.

"Yeah….I'm job hunting. I'm sick of working for Arthur. I need my freedom.", Alfred shrugged. He winked sneakily to the green eyed cat who gave him a look back. "How's about you?", he asked, not really caring but needing to know how to avoid further contact the witch if at all possible. His presence only complicated matters with Arthur being so close, even if he was disguised as a cat.

"I received a royal invitation.", Francis said quite grandly, "La, that idiot Honda finally realized my true beauty and how much he truly desired moi.".  
The Witch bit of self promotion was interrupted by a loud snort of amusement.

"If you're so great, how's about you break that spell you put on me. I'm sure the king would be impressed by it.", Alfred snapped, cause it never hurt to try. The toddler was met with cloyingly sweet smirk back from the Witch.

"Oh, but I am zo sorry, ma petite. My skills, considerable as they may be, lie in ze casting of spells and not ze breaking of them.", Francis laughed, of course not looking sorry at all about it, "Au reviour, mon belle infante." The Witch prodded his henchmen to hurry up, leaving a sputtering child behind in their wake.

"Now wait a damn minute! You get back here!", Alfred shouted, shaking his little fist at the back of Francis's transport. "If I didn't have you to worry about I would have clocked him.", he sullenly told the cats who didn't seem to give a whisker about the whole ordeal.

As the unusual troupe entered the palace's courtyard, an interesting thing happened to Francis's ooze men. The barely humanoid globs shuddered as if struck by some unseen force, their dark bile turning in upon itself. Alfred watched in amusement as the pavilion was dropped with an indignant squawk from its occupant, its bearers shriveling in upon themselves to leave only their garish suits behind.

"What iz thiz?!", Francis demanded, getting out to poke at what was left of his lackeys with the tip of his booted toe.

"Sorry, sir! No vehicles past this point. You must continue on foot.", a guardsman yelled out. Francis scowled at him but refrained from hexing the man.

"How rude. That damn Honda using his magic to make me climb all of those god forsaken stairs!", Francis grumbled, angrily dabbing his neck and wrists with perfume. He couldn't risk smelling of sweat like some common peasant when he got to see the king.

Alfred watched as the Witch took his time fiddling with his cobalt and scarlet furs, brushing away imaginary dust from them. "C'mon Arthur. We can do this.", he said firmly, marching forward to hit his first set in a many series of stairs.

They were very impressive. Alfred had never considered stairs before as he did right now. Where he came from, they were merely practically ways of moving vertically. Here at the castle though, the steps took on a whole new dimension. The elevated steps were spaced very wide to give them a vast sweeping effect that curved from base to top. There was also a ton of them. It was like a tidal wave of stairs that loomed before him. Alfred practically had to climb bodily over them. He made it up about three of steps before realizing something. Both of the cats stared back at the toddler from the base of the stairs, meowing pitifully up at him.

"You have got to be kidding me.", Alfred groaned. Both of the cats seemed to be unwilling to even attempt mounting the stairs. "You guys are real assholes you know that.", he muttered as the little boy climbed back down, wondering why it was always easier to descend stairs than to ascend them. Alfred scooped up the large white cat awkwardly into his arms, the whale of a feline purring the entire time. The other cat took some initiative though and jumped up onto Alfred's shoulder, its front paws resting on his head to peer over his hair(and occasionally bop the other cat in between the ears when its purring got too loud). Sighing, Alfred resumed his climb, reflecting he was wearing about as much fur as Francis at this point. Despite his burden, the tyke was making better time than Francis who was unwilling to get sweaty in the slightest. The Witch came to frequent rests, glaring up at the rest of the stairs.

"I can't make it. Go get me zome water and a fan. And zome lovely petit fours.", Francis ordered with a flick of his wrist to Alfred as the toddler turned cat covered mountaineer passed him by. The Witch was currently laid out on the steps in an elegant pose.

"What was that? You suddenly remember how to break my curse?", Alfred called back over his shoulder not pausing for a moment.

Francis frowned at him. "I told you I do not know how.", he sighed as he got up again.

"Then quit wasting my damn time.", Alfred grunted, taking a running leap for the next step.

"I do not get it. Where does he get all that energy?", Francis panted. Nearby attendants rolled their eyes as they easily passed by the lazy and overly dramatic Witch.

"Why don't you just give up, save yourself some misery, and kill yourself then?", Alfred suggested helpfully.

"And leave you and ze world without my beauty. Perish ze thought.", Francis snorted, "Besides I have waited far too long for zhis invitation after zhat bourgeoisie Honda dared to banish me to the Wastes."

"Too bad you're an asshat or else I would have lended you a hand.", Alfred said, gritting his teeth as he took on the last set of stairs, Francis trailing far behind him.

"You cold hearted child. Next time I will put you in diapers instead of booties.", Francis sniffed disdainfully.

"Almost there, old foggy?", Alfred mocked though he felt he needed a nap. The cats jumped off of him to urge the toddler forward as a servant skipped out to meet them. Alfred looked curiously up at the odd….woman….man? A petite, auburn haired gender confused something wearing a green dress and white apron smiled down at the wondering child.

"Ve~Yay! You made it!", the cross dresser chirped, clapping his hands. Alfred decided to let it go cause it was really none of his business why a dude wanted to wear a dress and he already had enough problems of his own to worry about. Alfred wasn't looking to add someone's mommy issues on top of it all.

"You might want to help him up the stairs before grandpa there breaks a hip or something.", Alfred motioned over his shoulder at Francis who was still meandering up the stairs.

"WHAT!? Of all the nerve!", Francis yelled, glaring death at the toddler. The maid thingy squeaked nervously as she/he/it/whatever ducked down behind Alfred to wave a little white flag at the infuriated witch.

"Come on! Let's go!", Alfred mock cheered, taking off his booties to chuck them at Francis's head. It was finally enough to make the Witch run up the stairs after the blonde imp.

"When I get my hands on you!", Francis yelled, hot on Alfred's heels now. The toddler was quite agile and fast though.

"What happened to you!? You look so old!", Alfred taunted, blowing raspberries over his shoulder.

Francis came to a sudden stop, his hands flying up to his face and brow. "Am I sweating?! I'm sweating! This is all your fault!", Francis yelled, stomping his heeled foot.

"Please don't kill one another before you see the king. He hates that.", the maid tried to reason with the pair or at least started to until he saw the cats who were watching the scene before them with mixed expressions. The crooked ear cat looked disdainful of it all while the fat white cat appeared to be enjoying it immensely. "Ve~ Kitties!"

The chaos was brought to a definite and abrupt halt by a tall man in glasses with dark chocolate brown hair and purple eyes. He was dressed finely in a dark plum coat and looked more like an aristocrat than the head steward he actually was.

"You will all desist this ridiculous behavior this second!", an icy firm tone commanded calmly, making the chaser, the chased, and the kitty loving cross dresser freeze in place. There was tears and spanking before bedtime promised in that sort of voice to those who defied it.

"You will follow me to Master Honda.", the dark haired man told them empirically as he turned sharply on his heel, obviously expecting them to do as they were told, "Right now."

"But I thought….", Alfred started.

"And you will be quiet about it.", the aristocratic butler snapped, his voice sharp as a whip. Alfred followed at full attention with Francis, confused maid, and kitties in tow.

"Can we have pasta?", the maid tried after a moment. The reply was short and firmly stated.

"No, you can not."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N-To anyone reading this or choosing to follow this story, this will NOT be shota. I don't write that genre and I certainly don't ship it. If you are hoping or expecting some of it later in the course of this story, I am letting you know now that it is not going to happen. I have real love and affection for both Hayao Miyazaki and Diana Wynne Jones, and I have no wish to besmirch such an elegant story(well anymore than I am doing right now).

This is very important. Though this is a love story of sorts, there will be no improper interaction between Arthur and Alfred over the course of this story while Alfred is in his child form. Any and all expressions of love will be done by and between consenting adults and even the most of that will only be a kiss at the most.

This is meant to be a light hearted romp involving two of my beloved most artists and their shared story with a Hetalia spin on it. It is mostly a story of friendship, of personal discovery, and of finding one's place in the world. Please do not read into anything deeper than that.

Thank you-DMS  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOO

"Oh pull yourself together. Isn't this what you've been waiting for?", Alfred said in a bored tone(one that he hoped would really piss Francis off) as they were escorted down hallways so heavily carpeted that it muffled their footsteps almost completely.

After their chase, the pair had calmed down enough to be reasoned with and coerced into following the strange, cross dressing maid with auburn hair and a disgustingly cheerful disposition who introduced himself as Feliciano. The rather pissed off butler snapped at them that his name was Roderich as if they should have known it in the first place and quit wasting his time with such frivolities such as introductions. Feliciano reminded Alfred of somebody though he couldn't quite put his finger on the feeling. He was fairly sure he had seen the man's face before….somewhere. Alfred shrugged the thought away. It must not be that important if he couldn't remember it.

"It is so nice you and Mr. Pendragon have come.", Feliciano chirped to Francis, the maid skipping all the way. Roderich rolled his eyes, glaring at the Witch of the Waste whenever Francis paused for too long admiring some gilded art on the wall. Francis seemed to have recovered from his trial of stairs well enough, his gaze glued to the maid's bouncing ass when it wasn't assessing the value of the castle decorations. Alfred sighed to himself and focused on keeping up with them all. Skipping was surprisingly effective in covering across large distances in a fairly short amount of time. The maid's comment made the Witch of the Waste pause though in his bouncing perversion to study Alfred.

"Your name iz Pendragon?", Francis's eyes narrowed in thought, the witch looking at the young boy who paled a bit in response, "Why does that name sound zo familiar?

Alfred made himself not freeze mid skip and react to it. Instead, he made a show of crossing his hands behind his head, looking put out to answer such a banal question.

"Going senile in your old age too? It was the name of my 'tacky' little hat shop. Remember?", Alfred said with a shrug, shooting a covert wink to the cats. Neither of the felines looked too terribly impressed by it.

"Iz zhat what iz was?", Francis murmured to himself contemplatively. The Witch of the Waste still appeared to be deep in thought when the quartet and cats entered a grand room decorated in shades of crimson and gold. It was alight with the blaze of an army of candles that glinted off of the gold accents, making the room look as if it glowed from within. Alfred thought it was a pretty effect but he couldn't help but to notice that the room had no windows and only one chair. Francis must have realized it as well because he ran to it.

"A chair! It iz mine!", Francis crowed in triumph as he spread out in it luxuriously, closing his eyes in chair stealing bliss. Alfred could care less about it though, far more interested in Feliciano who motioned him off to the side as Roderich already disappearing down a dark side hallway. Alfred was left with little choice in the matter when the cats scampered off down it as well.

"Hey! Get back here!", Alfred whispered hoarsely as not to alert Francis, who languished in his victory, small as it was. Seeing no other option, the child ran after the cats and the help. Feliciano was there waiting for him, looking slightly troubled for some reason.

"This way. We should not stay longer.", Feliciano warned. He lost his concern though as he scooped up the little boy to twirl him around in the air at arm's length. "Ve!~ So cute! We must find you some gelato!"

Alfred didn't know what gelato was but his options were depressingly limited with him being so fun sized now. Roderich waved them off with a dismissive gesture, the butler involved with manipulating a series of levers on the wall. Alfred wondered briefly what they could be possibly for as he was carried off to the kitchen by the singing maid.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOO  
Francis noticed that he was quite alone in the room- no cats, no smart mouthed child and no cute maid with a bouncy behind or tight ass butler to be found.

"Zhat iz strange.", was the last thing Francis thought as some hidden drapes started to be drawn up with a whisper of heavy fabric on their own accord to reveal several giant light bulbs behind them. The over blown glass bulbs started up with a hum as the filaments within filled with magic, casting the room in a blinding white light.

Francis screamed, struggled against the harsh light as it washed over him in a pulsing wave, searing him well past his skin down to the silk lining of his soul. He was only vaguely aware of the shadow dancers moving around him, the children of the gray circling him, their tendril arms linked together by tiny points of diamond like shine.

The light filled the room to the corners and beyond, growing past the point of blinding, Francis's screams were lost in a sea of singing star children that even outshone heaven held beacons.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO  
Alfred was carried to a great garden after a quick stop in the kitchen. Gelato had turned out to be really creamy ice cream so Alfred was all for it and the pasta he had afterward and the extra serving of gelato after that as well. At the cat's insistence(or at least Arthur's-Peter seemed fine to stay, the big cat enjoying its own plate of pasta and scoop of gelato), the maid and little boy were herded back to the task at hand by the fussy crooked ear cat.

The conservatory was entirely encased in wide panes of glass that sparkled with stark cleanliness. Alfred felt instantly sympathetic for the person who had to clean them all. Windows were not one of his favorite chores, considering most of the moving castle's portals were placed up high, in odd places and shapes, or both. The green space was filled with a grove of bamboo forest accompanied by the chirping of hidden songbirds and the lulling sympathy of fountains. They clicked across glass tile, the ceramic cast in the shades of evening, all soft purples and dewy blues that shimmered with every step. The only person in this space was a petite man sitting neatly in a throne like chair, enjoying a cup of tea. Alfred was sat down in a smaller chair across from him, the maid skipping over to the man's side.

The wizard(Alfred just knew he was) was petite in size with a delicate frame wrapped in robes of white silk that were decorated with a silvery grey bamboo pattern upon it. His hair was blue black, inky as a crow's wings, and cut neatly short. The dark eyes that appraised him coolly were a void black on black, looking dull in their contemplation. The man had a fluid elegance seen in the most mundane of his movements from sipping his tea to rearranging the folds of his ghost like robes. Feliciano leaned over his slim shoulder to whisper something to him, the dark haired man nodding ever so slightly in return.

With a wan smile, the man turned to Alfred. "So you are Arthur's little brother, are you?", his voice quietly melodic.

"Yes", Alfred answered nervously, "I'm Alfred Pendragon." He knew a powerful wizard when he saw one. This could be no other than Master Honda.

"You must be tired from your journey. Please have some tea.", Kiku offered, making an elegant gesture toward Feliciano to serve it. It was a wasted motion unfortunately, the maid's attention caught and held by a passing butterfly. Honda sighed, letting it pass after a moment when it was clear that a response wasn't going to happen.

"T-thank you.", Alfred stammered out for no reason, wincing at his own nervousness. He noted that the cats sat on either side of the raven haired wizard.

"I am Master Honda.", the wizard introduced himself, confirming Alfred's earlier guess, "The King's head sorcerer." The green eyed cat that Alfred had dubbed as Arthur jumped up into Kiku's lap to stare the little boy down. Alfred got a bad feeling as he watched the other cat curl up in the wizard's robe like he was meant to be there.

"Those aren't your cats, are they?", Alfred asked, holding a breathe in until it hurt.

"Why yes. This one is Iggy and that one down there is Hero. They are my errand cats.", Kiku said with an easy smile, "I told them to escort you here.". Alfred took a minute to have a 'fuck my life' moment, staring up at the clear ceiling to observe some of the flyers overhead. It ended with a heavy sigh, the wizard tilting his head in curious thought at it.

"I take it that Arthur-san will not be joining us then.", Kiku asked and not asked in the same sentence.

Alfred took a deep breathe before launching into the speech he had prepared on the way here. "He is such a lazy ass! He sent me here instead…And made me wear these damn booties!", Alfred complained, lifting his foot up for inspection, "I mean seriously! This is like child abuse. Look at all that lace. That has got to be choking hazard or something that needs a warning label and a lawsuit to make it stop.".

"Ve!~ So cute!", Feliciano answered the call of adorable, the maid skipping his way over to play with bootie adorned feet.

"Hey! That tickles!", Alfred giggled as his feet were captured and held in a wiggling embrace of dancing fingers.

"Feliciano-kun…..", Kiku sighed, his tone weary and accented by the light tap of his foot.

The maid looked over his shoulder with a pout. "What? He is so cute!"

"You can play later.", Kiku reminded him. Alfred tried not to feel insulted that he was being used like a doll and made a mental note not to let himself be left alone too long in Feliciano's presence. He had a bad feeling the maid was a card carrying member of the 'put Alfred in a dress' club with Arthur and Feliks.

"Anyway, I'm afraid the king would find him completely useless. I know I do.", Alfred managed to get back on topic between gasps of breathe.

"I am most aggrieved to hear of this.", Kiku said neutrally, taking another long sip of his tea. "Arthur-san was my last apprentice. I have never seen such a gifted student.". Kiku paused in his lament to regard Alfred intently. It made the little boy feel uncomfortable enough to shift around in his seat. The sorcerer continued after a moment of butt wiggling. "I was thrilled to have finally found someone talented enough to replace me.", Kiku sighed, "But then his heart was stolen by a demon. He never returned to me to finish his apprenticeship.". Kiku set his teacup down with a definite click of porcelain. "Since that time he has been using his magic for entirely selfish pursuits."

"Alfred-san.", Kiku said in a solemn enough tone to make the little boy grow still and sit up straight, "That man is extremely dangerous. His power is far too great for someone without a heart."

Alfred stared back at Master Honda keeping his face a mask. Whatever he said next would not bode well for Arthur. He could just feel it in his bones. "If he stays selfish, I am afraid he will just end up like the Witch of the Waste.", Kiku intoned, a slight incline of his head directing Alfred's attention elsewhere, "Send him in."

Feliciano saluted(for whatever reason), running off to disappear out a side door Alfred had failed to notice upon entering the room earlier. He soon returned with a slumped over Francis, the infamous man looking like a pile of fur, his form and face hidden in the depths of his plush scarlet and cobalt robes. Feliciano wheeled him in on a gurney to come to a stop beside Alfred's chair.

"What the hell happened to you?", Alfred asked, the little boy peering down inquisitively at the melted looking witch. He poked a hesitant foot at the fur pile with a dainty bootie he was more than willing to risk. Francis groaned in response, falling over to splay out bodily across the tile. Alfred's nose wrinkled at the near visible haze of fumes that wafted from the witch's body, mostly stinking of red wine.

"I have been getting fabulously drunk.", Francis smirked, winking at Alfred. He produced an almost empty bottle from the depths of his cloak at testament to his debauchery and theft.

Kiku coughed politely, drawing Alfred's attention back to him as Francis started to sing random songs from the floor. "All of his powers are gone now.", Kiku explained, "And I restored him to the age he actually is…..or I should have. I admit, this is most confusing."

"It iz called moisturizer and clean living.", Francis purred smugly with a flip of his hair(which was very impressive considering he was still situated on the floor-Alfred wasn't sure how he did it), "I did not need magic to aid in my beauty. Oui, I am just that fabulous."

"And so modest too.", Alfred added dryly.

" Francis once was a sorcerer of such magnificent promise.", Kiku moved forward, trying to make his point, "But he feel pray to a demon of greed.". He looked pointedly at the former witch.

"Excusez-moi, I am still in ze room if you are failing in the noticing of zhis.", Francis shot back. Kiku ignored him, his focus solely on Alfred. Francis consoled himself by eye fucking Feliciano who had lost track of the conversation three sentences back.

"Our kingdom can no longer turn a blind eye to these disrupting wizards and witches.", Kike stated, his voice gravely firm.

"Roughish? Oui. Handsome? But of course. A lover beyond compare? I am zhis and more. But a disruption? Non, non, non.", Francis interjected, "I am thinking that this haz all been a big misunderstanding, oui? Do you not think zo, my sweet Feli?"

"Ve?", was the answer Francis got, the maid returning back to reality long enough to bestow banality upon the conversation.

"Be a good boy and bring big brother zome more wine. Rapidement.", Francis sighed, waving despairingly for some liquid refreshment.

"Ve!", Feliciano agreed, skipping off before Kiku could stop him. Kiku sighed inwardly, watching him go before turning back to pin Alfred with another intense look.

"If Arthur-san reports to me and vows to support the kingdom, I shall show him how to break from his own demon.", Kiku promised, "If not, I will strip him of all his power. Just like the Witch of the Waste.

Alfred felt white hot rage coursed up his spine, straightening it as his tiny hands curled into fists. "That's enough!", he growled out at Kiku, his fair head tilted defiantly back, "Now I understand why Arthur was so concerned about coming here to see you. It's a trap!"

"As they would say, mon petite, no shit.", Francis said dryly, toasting the little boy. He took the wine bottle from Feliciano, the maid spilling the crimson fluid in his panic. He and Kiku appeared stunned by the little boy's steely tones, one that far exceeded his few perceived years. Even the cats stood to attention, staring back in wide eyed disbelief at the self-righteous toddler.

Alfred ignored them all to point a steady hand of accusing at Kiku. "You lure people here with an invitation from the king and then you strip them of all their powers!", Alfred said furiously, "Arthur would never be so heartless! He's selfish, cowardly, a horrible drunk, a bad dresser, a god awful cook…wait, did I have a point here? Oh yeah, but his intentions are good! He only wants to be free!".

During the little boy's speech, an odd thing started to happen. He grew taller, more defined as he seemed to age right before the other's eyes until a fierce young man stood before them, splendid and resplendent in his form and face…and quite naked.

Feliciano's jaw hung open as he shamelessly looked in appreciation of the human body. Kiku blushed darkly and would have looked politely away but some sort of magic was going on so it was necessary for him to keep looking…..so…..yeah. Francis leered openly, nodding in appreciation. Not reading the atmosphere or even taking note of the obvious, Alfred continued on.

"Arthur won't come here! He doesn't need you help! He can fix his problems with his demons on his own! I'm certain of it!", Alfred said with a confidence that seemed to radiate from every part of his being.

"I see….", Kiku hid his smile behind the cuff of his sleeve, daubing at his nosebleed, "I understand now. You are in love with Arthur-san.".

The change was instant, quicker than the blink of an eye. A tiny child stared back at the room in open confusion and distress, his chubby fists tightly gripping the snowy material of his dressing gown. The name reminded the Witch of the Waste of his life goal, even through the wealth of alcohol he was currently stewed in.

"Arthur? Did you zay Arthur was coming?", Francis slurred out, falling forward off to catch himself on Alfred's chair. He clung to the toddler's booties. "I want hiz heart!". Alfred batted him off easily enough with a pimp slap of super strength as he rolled his eyes, making a face at the fumes that were rolling off of Francis.

"Damn, you're nasty. How the hell did you get so drunk anyway? We've only been here for like an hour.", Alfred groaned, resisting the urge to curb stomp Francis but mostly due to the lack of curbs in the room, "Arthur's not coming here!"

The roar of a passing air machine very close overhead made everyone pause. It landed just outside of the greenhouse, a large man dismounting the streamlined vehicle gracefully. The stranger was a tall, well built blonde with piercing ice blue eyes and a grim expression.

"Oh but I think he will. I now know his weakness, little Pendragon.", Kiku murmured with a pleased smile. The sorcerer rose to meet the newcomer who was dressed formally in the military garb of Germania's army. Kiku bowed slightly to him, the man nodded back courteously. "May I introduce his majesty, King Ludwig Beilschmidt the first of his name and ruler of the kingdom of Germania in his brother's absence."

Alfred had never met a king before so he was unsure of what to do with himself. He ended up doing an odd combination between a bow and a curtsey with his dressing gown. "Fuck it. I look four years old. I might as well use it to my advantage.", Alfred thought ruefully as he noted the king's amused expression.

"As you were.", Ludwig commanded in a friendly tone of voice. Feliciano gave the king an odd look, peering more closely at him.

"I thought I would just drop by.", Ludwig continued with a charming smile.

"Ve~ Who are you?", Feliciano asked, his head tilting to the side and his fingers tapping his chin.

The tall blonde stared down at the curious red headed maid. "I'm obviously the king.", Ludwig said rather flatly even as he tried to paste a smile on his face.

"No you're not.", Feliciano told him quite confidently.

"Why are you here, your majesty?", Kiku coughed politely to get the pair's attention.

"I couldn't stand to sit through another dull war meeting.", Ludwig explained airily, as most royalty is perceived to do at times. Feliciano looked even more confused.

"Oh really…", Kiku covered his growing smirk with his robe's sleeve.

The king made a show of looking around the room, his eyes alighting upon Alfred who had lost his interest entirely with the king. He was currently trying to pick all of the lace off of his dressing gown with minimal effect. Arthur's earlier spell on it made the lace grow back almost immediately. Francis occupied himself with his bottle of wine, seeming quite intent on finishing it.

"Who are your guests?", Ludwig asked.

"This is Arthur-san's Pendragon's little brother, Alfred-san.", Kiku managed to say with a straight face.

"Ah. Very good then. Thank you for coming young Pendragon but I have decided not to use magic to win this war. We have tried using Master Honda's spells to shield the palace but then the bombs just fall on civilians' homes instead. That's the problem with magic. Right, Honda?", the king lectured, pacing as he did so.

"You are so eloquent today, your majesty.", Kiku said slyly, his eyes sliding off to the side to acknowledge another blonde marching into the room. He was identical to the king before them now, but walked like a soldier, his movements controlled and tight.

"Feliciano! Where the hell have you been?! You are late for the meeting!", said Ludwig Beilschmidt, king of Germania. The maid's head snapped back and forth between the two, Alfred doing the same thing. Francis just thought he was seeing double so he barely took note of the situation.

When Ludwig saw his doppelganger, he scowled deeply at him. "Mein Gott, I hate it when you make those things, Honda.", Ludwig grumbled as he collected his minister of defense, Feliciano Vargas, "I understand it is for my protection to have a double pose as me but it is creepy how real it looks.".

"Your Majesty.", Kiku nodded his head eloquently as the true king and his cross dressing minister departed the conservatory.

"So nice to see you again, Arthur-san.", Kiku said politely to the fake king who bowed in return.

"You are looking well, Master Honda.", Arthur said, keeping manner polite and easy.

"Rather weak disguise, don't you think? I believe I taught you better than that.", Kiku chided his former student lightly as he took up his teacup again.

Moving quickly, Arthur dropped his disguise fully as he scooped Alfred up into his arms to hold the child close to him. Alfred clung to Arthur, getting a really bad feeling that his early ill predictions were about to come true. "I'm not trying to outwit you. I kept my oath. I have reported when summoned, you beastly nag.", Arthur smirked, "Now my sweet little brother and I will be going."

"I think not.", was Kiku's cool response.

Alfred would have face palmed if he could. This was not going to end well.


	6. Chapter 6

"I am afraid not."

The words were said utterly calm, considering the abrupt action that went with them as Kiku tossed his cup of tea at Arthur and Alfred. The delicate cup and darkly tinted drink merged into one, growing up and out into waves upon waves until it became an ocean. The sea over land dove and crashed all about them, white capped waves chasing in and out of each other in a violent nature.

Alfred braced himself in Arthur's arms, his finger digging into the soft material of the wizard's clothes. The water took them, surprisingly soft and warm as it seemed to fill up the room and over them. Alfred didn't even have time to hold his breathe as the impromptu sea subsided as soon as it had arisen. It left the pair standing in a void of blackness, the dark space only torn apart with the light of abrupt stars.

"Whatever you do, don't look down, love.", Arthur told Alfred firmly, the little boy nodding back with a solemn expression, his too blue eyes looking into the wizard's emerald own.

"I think it is time to show your 'little brother' what you really are, Arthur Pendragon, Kirkland, or whoever you are pretending to be.", the sorcerer unseen to them, Kiku's voice ringing through the air from beyond the black everywhere around them. They were in the cold of space and yet were not as far as Alfred could tell, the shifting between the two perceived states of reality making the little boy dizzy. It only became worse when the stars started to fall from the sky like storms of fiery hail to circle around them. The comets collided and burned with one another, spraying the wizard and little boy with light that had no heat to burn to burn them, which seemed somewhat odd to Alfred but Arthur appeared to take it as a given.

The sparks from the dying stars cast shadows, deep lingering spreads of gray tinted and edged with black and white with the dying of the starlight. The between children of twilight crawled out through these unnatural doors. The grey servants of dusk and dawn linking their hand together to create shining points of light, the children's shrill chant starting to drill its finer notes into Alfred's head. He moved closer to Arthur in his arms, which didn't seem possible until he tried. Alfred was starting to feel nauseas with fear and the movement of the dancers, and would have liked to shut his eyes in an attempt to ignore everything but something was starting to happen.

Arthur was beginning to change.

His clothing dissolved into a lingering mist as large white feathers shot out his back at an arch. Large wings came forth like waves of shimmering pale plumage, full and sweeping in their length and width. While this was happening, Arthur's clothes reassembled themselves into a simpler outfit, one made of fine linen and not a lot of it. Touches of gold accented it, Arthur's slender waist cinched off by a braided cord, his wrists marked with delicate bracers made of gold filigree, and his feet adorned with golden sandals that laced up Arthur's ankles, hitting him mid-calf. A halo was the final touch in the transformation, the ring of shining light popping into existence with a soft noise, sweet and low like a bell being struck.

Arthur struggled against the changes to his body, embarrassment and frustration flitting across his face in regular intervals making it quite red. Alfred looked around for something to help him, not sure of what he could actually do if he managed to find anything in the void. A slight movement caught his attention though, a shadowy image drawing closer to them, one that wore silvery white robes and was armed with a very sharp looking sword. Following the little boy's gaze, Arthur saw it too, his own arm raising up to strike at it with what looked liked a wand…a wand with a star at the end of it.

The wizard's implement of choice did not impress Alfred or belay his fears terribly well. Alfred's mind quickly did the math on this situation and its obvious outcome.

"Stop you, idiot! It's a trap!", Alfred yelled, taking Arthur's face into his small hands to make the wizard look at him. It was enough to make Arthur shoot straight up into the air on fast wing as Kiku's sword met only empty space beneath them.

The spell seemed to need Arthur's participation and attention, or at least part of it, to exist. It effectively ended as the wizard turned angel with babe in arms hit the glass ceiling of the hot house to shatter through its roof in a sparkling rain of glass. Arthur's wings lasted long enough to float the pair down and onto the air vehicle that was parked right outside. An addition bounce on the machine alerted Alfred to the presence of Francis and oddly enough the two cats that now sat in his lap. The Witch of the Waste seemed just as surprised as Alfred at this turn of events.

"Hold on!", Arthur called out, kicking and cursing at the machine until it roared to life. Alfred once again felt the thrill of flying as they took off with a whoosh of air and the thundering of turbines.

"Alfred stand up here, lad.", Arthur instructed, looking over his shoulder as he indicated the pilot's seat. The wizard almost jumped off the air ship in surprise upon noticing that Francis and the Kiku's cats were with them.

"Bloody hell, what are they doing here?!", Arthur yelled. Alfred ignored him long enough to climb up into the seat, only looking back when he was finished at the uninvited guests.

"Nice kitties?", Francis said hopefully, holding out the cats like a peace offering. Hero purred like a broken motor while Iggy just glared winter at them both.

"I can't believe you work for Kiku.", Alfred told the felines in a sullen tone. Hero leaned forward to lick a rough tongue across Alfred's nose. Iggy had the decency to look guilty(which is difficult for any feline), meowing pitifully at the little boy.

"Awwwwwww. I can't stay mad at you guys!", Alfred crumbled like the soft cookie he was.

"How could you not with all zhis beauty sitting before you?", Francis purred from in between the felines.

"Go to hell.", Alfred said crossly. He considered tossing Francis off of the air ship but he didn't want to unbalance them.

"It's too late now.", Alfred sighed to Arthur. They were very high up in the air, all of the city beneath them.

"Bollacks. That is a matter of opinion.", Arthur grumbled, "No. No, it is not.".

"Oui. Oui, it is. I am too beautiful to go le smush.", Francis said quickly, making a show of clinging onto the air craft for dear life in an effort to convince the wizard it would be a waste of time to try and throw him off.

"Would you two stop?!", Alfred snapped, taking the wheel to level them out. It was surprisingly easy for him. "If you haven't noticed, we have people shooting at us!". Which was very true, bullets whizzing by them at increasing and worrying frequency.

"Oh shite…", Arthur muttered, taking a curious look behind them.

"What?", Alfred asked. When he didn't get an answer right away, Alfred took a look of his own to see other air ships following behind them, a few too many for Alfred's liking and unlike their own vehicle, this cavalry had guns and a whole lot of them.

"Oh shit, is right.", Alfred groaned, "They're gaining on us.".

"I will distract them. You can fly this contraption back to my castle in the waste.", Arthur quickly made plans.

"And just how the hell am I supposed to do that?", Alfred shot a glare at the wizard. If he was being totally honest with himself and others, Alfred would have to admit that he did not have the best sense of direction.

"The ring, git.", Arthur rolled his eyes, "Use it to find your way home. Just think of Ivan and the castle, and the ring will guide you."

"Awesome. This just keeps getting better and better.", Alfred groaned as he studied the ring. He pictured the fire demon in his head for a moment. The ring responded in an instant, a bright light shining from the gem that pointed off in direction. Alfred shifted it experimentally, the light staying in a fixed position, acting like a compass.

"Quit mucking about and just keep following that light. You should be there before dark if you keep with it.", Arthur said. The wizard's words made Alfred feel uneasy. It sounded like Arthur was not coming with them.

"I can't do this!", Alfred yelled, suddenly feeling very frustrated and at a strange loss. "Why did you make me come here if you were coming yourself?!"

"You being there just gave me a reason to show up.", Arthur admitted, "That man pisses me off to no end, I swear. Honda has always been bloody tedious.".

"Lame.", Alfred sighed, giving the wizard an incredulous look of disapproval. Arthur could be so ridiculous sometime. The rest of Alfred's thoughts on the matter were interrupted though by the wizard.

"You saved me. I was in big trouble there…", Arthur murmured. Alfred hadn't realized how close Arthur was to him until now. He stared at Arthur now, his eyes wide with undisguised surprise at the soft tone but the attacking air ships demanded his full concentration as more bullets grazed the space by and between them. Alfred veered them abruptly to the side in an effort to evade their pursuers.

"Pay attention!", Arthur shrieked(and would deny later) as the ship's wing almost clipped a roof or two.

"Calm down. I'm a natural.", Alfred grinned, the expression more maniacal than comforting to the ship's passengers, cats included in on this opinion.

"A natural git.", Arthur frowned at him, "Now pay close attention, I know it is hard but I can give you five minutes of invisibility. Use it well.". With that being said, Arthur did a series of quick gestures. Alfred gaped as several duplicate of the airship with all its passengers slid off to the side, one of them taking Arthur with it from them.

"Arthur!", Alfred howled at the wizard as Arthur flew away. Francis's scream alerted Alfred to a large tree rather near to their immediate proximity, the child pulling up just in time to coast over the tops of the foliage. Alfred leveled them out to find Arthur gone and the enemy airships darting off after illusions. Gritting his back teeth and trying not to taste odd emotions that coated his mouth, Alfred focused on the thought of Ivan and not on what he felt for Arthur or what he could if everything was different.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOO  
Kiku cleaned his sword off with a piece of decorated silk, his motions reverent and well practiced as the sorcerer stared off into the distance. Sheathing his sword, Kiku fell into a silence and deep thought.

"That was the most fun that I have had in ages.", Kiku said softly to no one in particular, "I suppose Arthur thinks he has evaded me. I am willing to bet that his little brother can help me in this endeavor whether he realizes it or not."

Chuckling to himself, Kiku smothered the noise further in the cuff of his robe's sleeve. His amusement was his own and no one else's to overhear.

Still smiling ever so slightly, Kiku prepared himself a cup of tea languidly slow so that he could note the swirls of the steam coming off from it and what it could tell him about the future.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOO  
On opposite sides of the world, soldiers of Germania and Britannia went about their duty as boots pounded pavement in their respective streets. Though in two different countries, their goals were the same as the doors of Pendragon and Kirkland were rushed at by solid shoulders and booted heel to be broken in. Both companies were quite surprised to find empty rooms long since abandoned to the company of dust motes and mice.  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOO

Alfred flew through rolling clouds, shifting storms, and random bouts of rain, the child ignoring the elements, deep in thought, though Francis and cats complained bitterly about it. Francis huddled down in his furs with Iggy and Hero, the three becoming comrades in misery. Flying through thunderclouds was a sobering experience and not one Francis wanted to repeat anytime again soon.

The weather finally cleared up toward the fall of night, the lights below them being lit drewAlfred's attention downward. He was surprised to find that he recognized the lay of the land beneath, gasping from it. Alfred didn't remember it seeming so small.

"That's my home town….That was my home town.", Alfred murmured before turning slightly to his passengers. "We'll be there soon. Hang on.".

Hero batted a paw at him in answer, meowing pitifully. Iggy echoed him though he was a touch more cross about it. Francis seconded that opinion.

"Don't try to be cute. I'm still not going to trust you.", Alfred told them, ex-witch included in this statement. Francis shrugged in response, too wet and cold to give a damn. Alfred let it lie, the little boy flying past his town of origin soon enough. He gave it one last backward glance, wondering about what could have been there and what he would be doing at this moment if he had never met Arthur and started this adventure.

Alfred's entire life was in that town since his birth and he had expected to live and die there. He had grown up with families that his own family had known for generations. He could name all the streets and side alleys backwards and forwards without even really thinking about it. If asked, Alfred could tell any passerby where to find anyone at any given time, give directions to any business, or recommend the very best places to eat in a moment's notice.

And yet…..Alfred felt no draw back to any of it…..

True, Alfred missed his twin but Matthew was living his own life now at the bakery with a man he loved and who loved him back. Alfred also missed Feliks but honestly, his best friend was the sort to bounce back easily enough from any tragedy or trial with flair and the cross dresser could now do what he really wanted to do with the hat shop.

His heart, Alfred realized quite suddenly in a pang of sharp honest emotion, was not with them.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOO  
The waste lay before them now beyond the town, the land grim and barren as ever with all its sharp slopes like jagged teeth reaching up to devour them if they should falter. Just beyond that, the castle loomed, the wandering structure made of metal, wood, and stone a welcoming sight to the weary.

"The castle is coming to meet us!", Alfred cheered, elation chasing away the chilled tiredness that had settle itself in his bones in a warm wave. He noted the change in castle's direction, the magical building turning on its spindly legs, looking like a demented bloated spider yet still delicate in its strange shuddering grace.

"Alfred!" a call was carried on the wind to them. Alfred spotted Peter bodily hanging over a balcony in a worrying fashion, flapping his arms about to draw their attention. "Alfred, over here!".

Biting back a reprimand to get Peter to stop hanging off the edge like a demented monkey, Alfred realized something as he circled around the castle before flying straight toward it, something very important.

"Peter! How am I supposed to land this thing?!", Alfred yelled back, ignoring the shrieks of dismay made by cats and winos alike. He had a general idea about issue of landing, the whole hitting the ground head something to avoid.

"I'm coming in hot! I really need you to do something Ivan!", Alfred wailed into the wind, the plane taking a nosedive toward the castle's gates. He had time enough to turn to his scared stiff passengers, though Alfred's next words did little to belay their panic. "Everyone put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye!".

Whether or not Ivan actually heard him or the castle had a real intellect for its own self preservation, the structure had the good sense to part its fixtures, its gates unhinging like a massive jaw to swallow the air ship whole, similar to a trout snapping up a choice piece of bait.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO  
A great racket resounded from within the castle, one of insulation and support beams being torn asunder and of metal crumpling like paper. Peter ran down the stairs to find the living room's wall caved in and part of kitchen demolished as well into piles of settling rubble everywhere. Scrambling down the last of the stairs, the preteen kept alert amidst the wreckage. Peter knew that the castle would do its best to protect the wayward flyer. It was just a matter of finding the survivors.

"Alfred?", Peter asked the first shifting pile, the pebbles of it falling ominously. He jumped back with a shout as two cat barreled out of a crag in the fissure, the felines pinballing around the room and Peter. They hit walls, furniture, and knocked over any surviving decorations with all the chaos of unleashed hell hounds before coming to a sudden halt as if it had never happened, licking themselves clean even as their eyes challenging Peter to claim that it did. They stared the tween down as if he were about to do something so foolish.

"Fooking hell!', Peter yelped as another pile shifted to reveal the Witch of the Waste, the blonde looking a touch dazed and very annoyed as he peered down at his dust coated clothing.

"Be quiet, you mizerably loud child. My earz are still ringing.", Francis groaned with a glare. "Go make yourself useful and bring big brother zome wine."

Struck dumb by surprise at their unexpected company, Peter was saved from making a response. "Peter! I'm home!", Alfred called out, the toddler striking a heroic pose from the top of a particular high mountain of ruined living room, the steering wheel of the air ship still in his small hand.

"Y-you twit!", Peter snapped, even as his shoulders sagged in obvious relief, "Are you hurt?".

"Nah. Can't keep a total BA like me down, ya know?", Alfred laughed, carelessly tossing the wheel over his shoulder as he slid down the rubble. Alfred found himself scooped up before he hit the bottom, the little boy hugged very close by the young apprentice.

"I missed you, you reckless git.", Peter said quietly into Alfred's hair.

"I missed you too.", Alfred said, patting at the preteen's shoulders in a comforting gesture, "Thank you for coming out to meet us.".

"Vhat about me? I did all the work, da.", Ivan pouted. He blinked his violet eyes in surprise when he realized he had company that seemed to look on either side of his firepit. Iggy and Hero watched the fire demon very closely with too intelligent eyes for animals. Ivan eyed them curiously back.

"Good kitties?"


End file.
